Standalone restaurants, pubs and bars in Karnataka that were shut on March 25 as part of a nationwide lockdown have been permitted to sell liquor at retail price from Saturday, the government said.
"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 on Friday evening.
The establishments will be allowed to sell liquor from 9 am to 7 pm, the order said.
The order comes as the state has generated huge revenues due to the sale of alcohol. Liquor sale of nearly Rs 200 crore was reported on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Liquor shops had re-opened in the state on Monday after more than 40 days, in line with the Centre's fresh guidelines for the third phase of the lockdown that introduced many relaxations to revive the economy.
Long queues were seen outside stores across the country throughout this week as people - forced indoors due to the pandemic - stepped out to stock up alcohol.
The state, like many others, has hiked excise duty on liquor by 11 per cent in a move to boost its revenue that has been hit hard by the pandemic.
On Friday, the Supreme Court had advised the states to consider "non-direct sale, including online/home delivery" of liquor to ensure minimal crowds and enforcement of social distancing protocols at shops across the country.
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