Andhra Pradesh CEO orders strict monitoring of liquor movement
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on Thursday ordered end-to-end surveillance of liquor movement, aimed at curtailing influence of liquor in the run-up to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. As part of state-wide monitoring, the CEO ordered the managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd (APSBCL) to track the movement of liquor by deploying Global Positioning System (GPS).
Similar directives were also issued to the commissioners of Prohibition and Excise Department and Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB).
«The movement of liquor from the distillery/ brewery to the godown of APSBCL should be GPS tracked (and the) feed of which also to be provided to the District Election Office control room and the CEO control room,» said Meena in an order.
According to the CEO, the issue of tracking liquor movement from APSBCL's warehouses to retail shops and bars was raised during a meeting with the Special State Observer (Police), Deepak Mishra.
Considering the seizure of a large quantity of liquor across the state and the possibility of alcohol being used as an inducement to sway voters and thereby disturb the level playing field in the polls, Meena observed it is imperative to check leakages at all levels.
Meena highlighted the seizures included non-duty paid liquor originating from other states and duty paid liquor from within the state but sold at unauthorised places such as belt shops and others.
«Hence, it has been decided that the Excise Department/ APSBCL
