PANAJI: The North Goa district magistrate has ordered that all hotels, restaurants, bars, tea shops, paan shops, eateries and other food shops such as dhabas and gaddas, etc within the vicinity of 200 metres of any polling stations in the Panajiand Valpoi assembly constituencies shall remain closed on polling day, August 23, from 6am to 12pm.
Also, any gathering of more than five persons within 200 metres of any polling station has been banned.
All licensed premises for the sale of liquor will remain closed from 5pm of August 21 to 12pm of August 24 and throughout the day and night on August 28 in view of polling and counting of votes.
Premises with licenses for bar and restaurant are permitted to keep only the restaurant open. Owners of these premises will also have to display a board that ‘No Liquor’ will be served on the said days.
In addition, a notice has also been issued prohibiting any assembly of five or more persons, including contesting candidates and workers, under Section 144.
Processions or rallies under the garb of house-to-house visits or corner meetings have also been prohibited from 5pm of August 21 to 12pm of August 23 in the Panaji and Valpoi constituencies.
Campaign vehicles, except those authorised by the returning officer, DEO and CEO on the polling day, will not be allowed to ply so as to avoid any distribution of money or gifts of liquor and to prevent any nuisance and law and order problems.
