Tipplers raise a toast to polls: Guzzle 1 lakh litres of beer more daily

HYDERABAD: Booze lovers in Telangana consumed one lakh litre more beer per day and one lake litre more Indian Manufactured Foreign Liquor (IMFL) during the last days of the election campaigning, as compared to the same period last year.


Retail outlets sold around 9 lakh litres of IMFL every day this season, as against 7.9 lakh litres during 2018 as per the April 8 report submitted to chief electoral office by state excise commissioner.

The report also revealed that bars and liquor shops sold 12.5 lakh litres of beer per day on April 8 this year, as against 11.2 lakh litres of beer on the same day of 2018.

The strict vigil by squads of election officials and police notwithstanding, political parties and contesting candidates continue to lure voters with liquor. A top official of the excise department told TOI, “One box of IMFL liquor is equal to nine litres of liquor, and one box of beer has 7.8 litres.” The consumption is more in GHMC areas than other districts.

The excise official said, “During assembly polls, due to the restrictions, though there were high sales on some days, overall sales were restricted. In fact, the overall consumption is one per cent less. During the Lok Sabha polls, liquor consumption would be less than Assembly polls. However, because these are the last days of campaigning, the consumption has increased.”

Distilleries and breweries also increased production. For instance, production of beer per day in 2019 was 8.8 lakh whereas it was only 4.3 lakh in 2018.