Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday withrdrew the two Gazette Notifications issued under the Excise Ordinance which had earlier lifted the ban on women buying liquor and working in places where liquor is manufactured or sold in addition to relaxing the business hours of liquor establishments, a statement issued by the Finance and Media Ministry said yesterday.
“Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera on the request of the Cabinet of Ministers today withdrew the two Gazette Notifications issued earlier under the Excise Ordinance which had lifted the ban on women buying liquor and working in places where liquor is manufactured or sold in addition to relaxing the business hours of liquor establishments,” the statement said.
Accordingly, the prohibition on selling liquor to women and employing women in places where liquor is manufactured or sold has been re-imposed under Excise Notification No 04 of 2018 signed by the Minister Mangala Samaraweera today (January 18).
The other Gazette Extraordinary containing the Excise Notification No 03 of 2018 has re-introduced the previous business hours for liquor establishments.