Bengaluru: A coalition of Bengaluru hospitality and liquor trade bodies has urged Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner to relax dry-day restrictions proposed for legislative council elections, arguing that they would disproportionately affect thousands of businesses despite the limited electorate.The district administration has proposed dry days from 4pm on Oct 21 to 4pm on Oct 23 and on Oct 27, when votes will be counted. It is yet to decide on the request.The delegation sought permission for restaurants, hotels and bars to serve food and non-alcoholic beverages and undertake deliveries during the dry-day period, with liquor counters sealed and no alcohol sold or served. It also sought an end to counting-day restrictions by 4pm or immediately after results are declared, instead of midnight.The delegation represented Okkuta, comprising National Restaurant Association of India’s Bengaluru chapter, Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association, Bangalore Hotels Association, Karnataka State Hotels Association, Karnataka Bakery, Sweets & Cafe Association and Bengaluru City Liquor Traders Association. The restrictions concern elections to Bengaluru teachers’ constituency and Karnataka South-East graduates’ constituency, where only registered teachers and graduates can vote. Okkuta said Bengaluru teachers’ constituency had 16,063 voters in 2024, while hospitality businesses across a city of more than 1.4 crore residents would be affected for nearly three business days.Although the proposed order prohibits only liquor sales, food operations are often disrupted because of enforcement confusion, the associations said. They estimated losses of nearly Rs 500 crore. Bangalore Hotels Association separately said individual establishments could lose about Rs 20,000 or more daily, besides losses to employees dependent on business volumes.The associations said restrictions would affect service staff, delivery personnel and suppliers while reducing state GST and excise collections. Citing a previous Karnataka high court order concerning a teachers’ constituency election, they sought explicit clarification allowing food operations while alcohol sales remain prohibited.NRAI Bengaluru chapter head Ananth Narayan said a dry day should halt liquor sales, not restaurant operations. “Our humble request is to seal the liquor store on dry days and monitor that, instead of locking the whole place. A blanket closure costs the govt and restaurateurs hundreds of crores. We work 30 days a month and take home the profit of just a few. Losing 4-5 of those days is a complete drain,” he added.
