Bengaluru will impose staggered liquor sales restrictions from October 21 in several parts of the city for Dasara processions, legislative council elections and the subsequent vote-counting process, according to orders issued by police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh.
The restrictions will apply to liquor shops, bars, pubs and other establishments that sell alcohol. Hotels and restaurants will be allowed to continue serving food, the report said.
The first restriction will operate from noon on October 21 to 1am on October 22 within the limits of the RT Nagar, JC Nagar and Hebbal police stations. This order has been issued in connection with Dasara celebrations and processions in those areas.
A wider restriction linked to biennial elections for the Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency and the Karnataka South-East Graduates’ Constituency will begin at 4pm on October 21 and continue until 4pm on October 23. It will cover the central, east, west, north, south, southeast, southwest, northwest and northeast divisions, as well as Whitefield and Electronics City.
The overlapping timings mean that residents and businesses in some areas may face different restrictions depending on their police-station or divisional jurisdiction. The orders distinguish between the sale of liquor and the provision of food, allowing hotels and restaurants to remain open for food service while alcohol sales are prohibited.
A separate dry-day order will be enforced on October 27 during the vote-counting process. Liquor sales will be prohibited from 6am until 11.59pm within the jurisdiction of the Ulsoor Gate police station.
The restrictions cover multiple city divisions because the elections involve Bengaluru-based teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies rather than a single polling location. The police orders therefore create a citywide schedule of restrictions for the election period, alongside the more localised curbs imposed for Dasara processions.
For residents, visitors and businesses, the key operational issue is the timing of each order and the jurisdiction in which it applies. Establishments selling alcohol will need to stop sales during the specified windows, while food service at hotels and restaurants can continue under the stated conditions.
The October 27 restriction will remain in force throughout the vote-counting day in the Ulsoor Gate police station area. The orders issued by the Bengaluru police commissioner set out the restrictions and their respective timings.
