In view of the elections to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on January 8 and counting of votes on January 9, the Excise Department has imposed ban on sale of liquor at hotels, eating houses, taverns, shops or any other place, public or private, within the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) from 5 pm of January 6 up to 9. The ban has been imposed in the interest of free and fair elections.