Lucknow: Ahead of Christmas and New Year's, the Uttar Pradesh government has extended the liquor sale timings by an hour, till 11 p.m. on Christmas eve--December 24) as well as New Year's Eve--December 31, said the Excise Department on Saturday.
A notification issued by the department on Saturday said that the liquor shops across Uttar Pradesh will remain open till 11 pm on 24th and 31st December.
The liquor lobby was, however, pushing for extending the current 10 a.m.-to-10 p.m. sale time till 11 p.m., but the state's Excise Minister made it clear that "sale time extension" would only be for defined occasions. (ANI)