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Dry Day in Karnataka: Liquor shops to remain closed on THIS date in Bengaluru and other parts of the state due to…”
Liquor shop owners have called for a bandh to protest against the “corruption in the Excise Department of Karnataka”.

The Federation of Wine Merchant Associations has announced that liquor sales in Karnataka will be suspended on November 20 as part of an ongoing protest against alleged government corruption and the neglect of their concerns. The federation has been voicing its grievances for over a week, claiming that the government has failed to address their issues.
According to a report by The New Indian Express, General Secretary B. Govindaraja Hegde stated that the decision to close shops will result in an estimated loss of around Rs 120 crore to the state’s exchequer. “Our demands have been ignored, and as a result, we have chosen to halt liquor sales on November 20. This protest is also aimed at raising awareness of the corruption within the excise department,” he said during a media briefing.
“We are expecting 85-90 percent participation for our bandh,” Govindaraj Hegde, General Secretary of the Federation told PTI.
“Things are getting out of hand, the government is unleashing uncontrolled competition by giving new licences without any regard to the prevailing rules. We provide a business of 38,000 crores per annum in the state, but many of the dealers are complaining about not being able to sustain their business due to corruption in the department,” Hegde added.
What Karnataka State Tourism Hotel Owners’ Association have to say?
However, the Karnataka State Tourism Hotel Owners’ Association has refused to follow the Federation’s decision. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Federation president S Guruswamy and general secretary B Govindaraja reiterated their demand for the Excise Department to be merged with the Finance Department. They also denied sending a viral email that alleged a cash-for-transfer scam in the Excise Department. “The email was written by an RTI activist. It is unfortunate that this issue has taken a political turn,” Guruswamy said.
The Association also called on the chief minister to convene a meeting to resolve their issues and take action against corruption within the Excise Department.
Other demands include guaranteeing a 20% profit margin on retail liquor sales, allowing alcohol consumption in CL-2 licensee (retail shops), setting up additional counters in CL-9 licensees (bars and restaurants), and introducing provisions for alcohol takeaways. The Association claims to represent 11,500 shops and 1,000 MSIL shops across Karnataka.
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