The Uttar Pradesh government has extended liquor sale timings by an hour till 11 pm on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve to accommodate festive demand.According to a notification issued by the Excise Department on Saturday, liquor shops across the state can remain open for the extra hour on December 24 and 31.The current approved sales period is 10 am to 10 pm. But the liquor lobby was pushing for a daily extension till 11 pm which the Excise Minister has ruled out for now.He stated that time extensions would only be for defined special occasions, referring to the upcoming Christmas and New Year eves.The move aims to prevent overcrowding of liquor stores late evening on December 24 and 31 when demand surges for year-end revelries and celebrations. The extra leeway will allow sales to be staggered and enable easier compliance with Covid-19 protocols.However, sales time will revert to the normal 10 am-10 pm schedule on other days including Christmas and New Year.
