Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19: The sale of liquor has seen a massive jump across Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts ever since the model code of conduct for the panchayat polls was enforced on February 1.

"Demonetisation had hit the sale of liquor hard. But it has now gone up at least five times since then. Ever since demonetisation was announced, we were selling liquor worth Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 a day. Now, the sale has reached a staggering Rs 2 lakh a day thanks to the polls. Politicians are using liquor to influence voters," said a stockist of India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) of the Paradip town requesting anonymity.

"Liquor sale had gone up during 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as well. However, this time it is much higher. We had not expected such an unusual rise in sales. Interestingly, a sizeable chunk of our new clients this time are youths in the 18-25 age group," said another IMFL shop owner in Kendrapara.

An excise department official, too, admitted that they had received reports of unusual rise in liquor sale this poll season.

"From the feedback that we have received from licensed shops, there has lately been a rise in the sale of IMFL. However, the exact ratio of the rise in sale can be ascertained only after the shopkeepers submit the monthly sale figures," said the official.

Huge quantity of liquor, including IMFL, country liquor and illicit liquor, has been seized from various places of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts ever since the rural polls started. Candidates in the fray have apparently resorted to distribution of liquor to woo voters in the panchayat polls.

Ever since the enforcement of the model code of conduct on February 1, the enforcement squad of the excise department and police have seized liquor from these two districts almost every day.

"Free liquor is flowing everywhere in our panchayat for the ongoing polls. All the candidates, from those backed by political parties to even Independent nominees, have taken recourse to distributing liquor to win elections. We, especially the senior citizens, are deeply upset with this unethical practice. The excise personnel has been informed. They had intervened and seized huge quantity of liquor meant for distribution on the eve of the polls," said Karanja village resident Raghunath Acharya.

"The panchayat samiti aspirants had mainly targeted young voters in the age group of 18-20 by distributing liquor among them," said another senior citizen.

Some 40 cases of seizure of liquor have taken place in the two districts since the enforcement of the model code of conduct, while about 5,000 litre of IMFL have so far been seized. During an interception in Karilopatana village, men of the liquor mafia attacked and injured two excise constables. Some 1,500 bottles of IMFL and a van carrying the liquor were seized from the spot, said excise superintendent Dhananjay Swain.

"Squads consisting of excise, police and civic officials have been constituted to stop distribution of liquor during the panchayat polls," he said.

Though liquor shops are supposed to be sealed in areas going to the polls 48 hours before polling, officials admitted that it was not possible for them to keep tabs on liquor distribution in such a minute manner because of manpower constraints.

"Alcoholism has become rampant our village since the polls notification was issued. It's unfortunate that candidates are trying to buy votes with liquor. We will vote for those candidates who stay far away from liquor politics," said Shyamsundarpur villager Himanshu Rout.