Sharad Pawar 'stuck' in Maharashtra auditorium
Satara, May 9: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar was "locked up" inside an auditorium here on Wednesday after a door lock suddenly got jammed, giving anxious moments to his party workers.
The incident happened after Pawar addressed a packed media conference and proceeded to leave the venue, said NCP state spokesperson Nawab Malik.
The door, however, refused to budge. The handle on it appeared to have jammed the lock, preventing it from opening either from inside or outside, he said.
Several NCP legislators, activists, journalists and auditorium staffers attempted to free it but without much success. The had to break the lock.
The 77-year-old appeared amused by the development. After some 10 minutes, he was able to walk out of the venue.
Earlier, Pawar paid homage to eminent academic, the late 'Karmveer' Bhaurao Patil, on the occasion of his 59th death anniversary at the 99-year-old Rayat Shikshan Sanstha founded by him here in 1919.
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Approval of registered housing societies must to operate liquor shops on their premises: Ajit Pawar
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said that shops selling Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) as well as country liquor will be required to obtain mandatory consent from registered housing societies before commencing operations from the commercial spaces on their premises.
Pawar, who also heads the excise department, directed that this new policy be implemented across the state.
"Permission from registered housing societies will now be compulsory for both categories of liquor shops. The policy must be enforced uniformly throughout Maharashtra," Pawar told the Lower House of the state legislature while responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap, who represents the Chinchwad assembly constituency in Pune district.
Jagtap sought cancellation of licences of liquor shops operating in Chinchwad-Kalewadi area of Pune.
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During the discussion, he said that Vikrant Wine, a liquor shop in Sahyadri Society, had begun operations in violation of norms.
The building was incomplete when permission was granted, and the licence had been issued on the basis of incomplete documents, Jagtap said, demanding action against those responsible.
Responding to this, Pawar reiterated the mandatory requirement of the respective housing society's consent for liquor outlets, and informed the House about the action taken regarding the two shops against which complaints had been received.
During the Budget session of the state legislature held in March this year, Pawar had announced that a no-objection certificate (NOC) from housing societies will be mandatory for liquor vends if they wish to migrate to their premises.
Many housing societies have commercial establishments, with some even having liquor vends.
