President Maithripala Sirisena said today that he had instructed the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister to cancel the Gazette notifications issued revoking the prohibition of selling liquor to females and the time extensions on liquor shops.
Addressing a public meeting in Agalawatte, he stated that he was informed about the two Gazette notifications issued allowing selling liquor to females and female employment in liquor shops and time extensions via the media.
President Sirisena said as Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera was away from the country both the Gazette notifications would be cancelled on his arrival.
Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, under the Excise Ordinance revoked the ban on selling liquor to females and employing females in places where liquor was manufactured or sold on January 10.
In a separate Special Gazette Notification issued on January 11 the business hours of licensed establishments selling liquor was extended from 11.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
Excise Notification No. 666 of the Gazette Extraordinary had imposed a bar on selling liquor to women and employing women in liquor related fields. (S. Madawala)
