Extending bar closure timings - Renukacharya still hopeful

Extending bar closure timings - Renukacharya still hopeful

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 16:  Although the home ministry has absolutely refused to extend bar closure timings, Excise Minister Renukacharya is still hopeful. He met star hotel owners on Tuesday and discussed their problems.  

The excise minister has told Shankar Bidari, the police commissioner of Bangalore, to “mind his business” and not to interfere with the work of the excise department. He told reporters that he will arrange a meeting of excise officials on June 18 to discuss the issue of extending bar closure timings. The department will then take up the matter with Home Minister V. S. Acharya and Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, he said. 

On Monday, Home Minister V. S. Acharya had confirmed that the government has received no proposal to extend bar timings from the present 11:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. The government is reluctant to extend the bar closure timings taking into consideration the law and order situation in the state.  

Demands from tourist and star hotel owners in Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, and other cities prompted the excise minister to propose the idea of extending bar closure timings to 2:00 a.m. He said that this will increase state revenue because a number of tourists and business delegations visit these cities.  

The police department, however, is opposed to the idea because of law and order situation in the state.