The opposition Congress today said it would not renew the liquor licences of offshore casinos after March 31 if voted to power on March 11, the day of counting of votes for the February 4 Assembly elections.
"Once we form the government, I assure you we will not renew the excise licences of the offshore casino vessels once they expire on March 31," AICC secretary Girish Chodankar told reporters.
Banning the offshore casinos in Mandovi river was one of the prominent promises made by the Congress in its election manifesto. "The Congress party will take appropriate legal remedies to insulate its decision to ban the sale of liquor on offshore casinos from any legal implications. We will have to make sure that the casino operators don't challenge our decision in the court," he said.
As the casinos currently operating in Mandovi river are 800 metres away from national highway, they do not fall under the purview of a recent Supreme Court order under which the liquor outlets located within 500 metres of state or national highways will have to shut down.
Published 22 February 2017, 08:52 IST