The TASMAC Employees Union on Monday petitioned Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar to declare April 22, 23 and 24 as ‘dry days’ across the State on account of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
N Periyasamy, former MLA from Perundurai and the president of the TASMAC Union, told Express that the Election Commission had earlier directed that the liquor shops in the State shall remain closed from 5 pm on April 22, the last day of campaigning for all the political parties for the upcoming polls. The shops would once again be opened after the polling hours are over on April 24.
Pointing out that the sale of liquor in the State would be at its peak on April 22 and that as a result, law and order problems might crop up, Periyasamy said the police may not be able to come to the rescue of the TASMAC employees on that day as they would be busy with the ‘bandobast’ arrangements for the polling.
Similarly, opening the TASMAC shops immediately after the polling hours would once again be difficult for the employees as they too would like to exercise their franchise, Periyasamy noted.
“Taking all these considerations into account, we have appealed to the CEO to declare April 22, 23 and 24 as dry days in the State,” he added.