Karnataka restaurants and pubs allowed selling liquor only as takeaway option

Bengaluru : Restaurants, pubs and bars in Karnataka have been allowed to sell alcohol on the retail price but only as a takeaway option, the government order said on Friday.

"Karnataka government has allowed restaurants, pubs and bars to sell liquor at retail prices from tomorrow till May 17. However, they can be sold only in takeaway form," read an order issued by the state government.

In most part of India, liquor shops were reopened on Monday. Social distancing norms were seen getting flouted completely as people made long queues outside the liquor shops.

Karnataka recorded liquor sale of nearly Rs 200 crore on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

While the southern state sells alcohol at retail price, three states - Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Bengal - have hiked the cost of liquor. While Andhra is charging an additional 25 per cent tax, Bengal is charging 30 per cent tax. In the national capital, buyers have to pay 70 per cent extra tax dubbed as "corona fee" by the Arvind Kejriwal government.