Booze banned at May Day rally venues

Colombo, April 29 (Daily Mirror) - The Excise Department of Sri Lanka has prohibited the sale of all kinds of alcoholic beverages in Divisional Secretariat areas in the country where May Day rallies and processions are held on Wednesday, May 1. 

Excise Department spokesman cum Commissioner - Law Enforcement Channa Weerakkody, issuing a notice today stated that all retail liquor selling points including wine stores, bars, restaurants and taverns will be ordered to remain closed from the regular closing hours of Tuesday, April 30 till the regular opening hours on Thursday, May 02. 

However, all hotels and boutique villas registered under the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) bearing Excise License (FL 07, 08) are exempt from this order. 

The Department vows strict legal action against those who violate the Excise law during the stipulated period.