That takes the fun out of elections. From AP-
KATMANDU, Nepal - Nepalese authorities have banned the production and sale of alcohol in the Himalayan nation ahead of crucial elections to pick an assembly to rewrite the country's constitution, officials said Friday.All snark aside, the regulation is dumb. People will just stock up on alcohol before the election takes place. Will voters be arrested if caught drinking during the temporary prohibition?Home Ministry spokesman Modraj Dotel said the government has sent notices to all district administration offices informing them that they should impose the ban ahead of next week's election. An alcohol ban in Katmandu went into effect Friday.
Dotel said the ban would help prevent violence between rival groups. It was not clear what punishment violators would face, but Dotel said violations would be considered a breach of the election code of conduct.
Dotel said the ban will last through the April 10 election, when voters will choose members of a special Constituent Assembly that will write a new constitution and decide the nation's future political system.
The election is a key part of Nepal's peace process, in which communist rebels gave up a decade-long armed revolt.
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Comments (2)
The funny thing is, my home... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Adam Graham | April 4, 2008 8:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The funny thing is, my home state of Idhao has the same law.
1. Posted by Adam Graham | April 4, 2008 8:11 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 4, 2008 08:11
2. Posted by Jim Addison | April 4, 2008 2:34 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Most southern states had similar laws, but they only covered the hours the polls were open. As soon as the polls closed, the package stores reopened.
Funny, since a tried-and-true, time-honored tradition of campaigning/vote-buying was to buy the boys a drink (before women could vote, and even for many years after, they were not offered the fruit of the grain). Even George Washington was reputed to have sent out casks of whiskey for his supporters.
And given the quality of the choices usually available, Election Day could be when a drink is most needed.
2. Posted by Jim Addison | April 4, 2008 2:34 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 4, 2008 14:34