Uttar Pradesh has declared October 23 and 27 dry days for Legislative Council elections, prohibiting liquor sales and service at retail outlets, bars, hotels and restaurants. Here's what the order says, which constituencies are voting and what businesses need to know.
Uttar Pradesh has declared October 23 and October 27 dry days in view of the Legislative Council (MLC) elections, prohibiting liquor sales and service across the state on both dates.
Under an official order, liquor shops will remain closed on polling day and the day votes are counted. The restrictions will also apply to bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants serving alcoholic beverages.
According to an order issued by District Magistrate Vishakh G., the restrictions are intended to facilitate the peaceful and smooth conduct of the electoral process. Polling for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats is scheduled for October 23, with counting set for October 27.
UP dry days: Which establishments will be affected?
The restrictions cover country liquor shops, foreign liquor outlets, beer shops, model shops and composite liquor shops. Establishments selling bhang and toddy will also have to remain closed on the specified dates.
The prohibition extends to bars, clubs, hotels, restaurants and other establishments serving alcohol. Canteens operated by the armed forces and paramilitary forces are also covered by the order.
All excise licence holders have been directed to ensure their establishments remain closed or refrain from serving liquor, as applicable, on October 23 and 27.
Violation of dry day order may invite legal action
The district administration has warned of strict legal action against those found violating the restrictions. This includes selling liquor or keeping establishments open in contravention of the order.
The administration has also clarified that liquor traders will not be eligible for compensation for business losses arising from the mandatory closures.
The restrictions are aimed at preventing disruptions and maintaining law and order during polling and counting for the 11 MLC seats.
UP MLC elections: Five Graduate and six Teachers' Constituencies
The elections cover five Graduate Constituencies and six Teachers' Constituencies. Voting will take place through ballot papers.
The Graduate Constituencies are Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut and Allahabad-Jhansi. The Teachers' Constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad and Gorakhpur-Faizabad.
Unlike Assembly elections, these MLC contests are limited to registered and eligible graduates and teachers, depending on the electoral roll for the respective constituency. The voting process therefore differs from general elections, in which all eligible registered voters can participate.
BJP and Samajwadi Party campaign for MLC seats
The elections have seen campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for their respective candidates.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has addressed rallies in support of BJP candidates in several locations, including Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Agra, Mirzapur and Bareilly. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, along with state ministers and BJP MLAs, have also participated in the campaign.
In the previous MLC elections for these 11 seats, the Samajwadi Party won six seats, while the BJP secured five.
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Anjali Thakur
Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.