Karnataka's liquor vendors’ association withdraws strike

The Federation of Wine Merchants Association of Karnataka called off its one day shutdown call issued for all liquor outlets in the state after  a meeting with the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday. In a press meet last week, the federation demanded the Chief Minister convene a meeting to address their grievances. It also sought the merger of the excise department of Karnataka with the finance department of the state.

Earlier, the federation had announced to stop liquor sales on 20^th November and made several demands to the state government including measures to address the rampant corruption in the state’s excise department. The federation also asked for an amendment to Section 29 of the Karnataka Excise Act, which empowers government officials to cancel or suspend excise licences.

According to a press note issued by the Chief Minister’s office,  CM told the federation that directions would be issued to excise officials to not to harass liquor vendors in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah also assured the federation that the government would consider introducing a counselling system for transferring excise officials. However, the federation distanced itself from a complaint lodged with Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot regarding alleged corruption amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees in the excise department, the press release added.