The Election Commission of India did not order Monday’s ban on the sale of liquor in areas that would go to the polls in the second phase on April 29, including Kolkata, Bengal chief electoral officer Manoj Agarwal said on Tuesday.

He said he would seek an explanation from the excise commissioner on why such a decision was taken without a directive from the elections watchdog.

As per reports, Kolkata bars and pubs discontinued serving alcohol on Monday after an official communique from the state excise department on April 19. The communique flagged a “sudden growth” in the lifting of packaged liquor by retailers and an increase in "positive samples" during inspections ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls in Bengal.

Election-related dry days are typically enforced 48 hours before polling begins, but the early implementation left both businesses and patrons caught off guard. Industry insiders said there was no prior intimation of a shutdown on Monday, leading to inconsistent responses across the city.