The Department of Excise has ordered all liquor outlets across Sri Lanka to remain closed on April 13 and 14 for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Avurudu) celebrations.
Only tourist board-approved hotels holding an R.B.07 licence or special boutique villa licences may serve alcohol during the two-day closure — and exclusively to foreign tourists staying at those establishments.
The department warned that any licence holders found selling liquor in violation of the directive will face strict legal action under excise law.
Members of the public can report complaints related to liquor offences, narcotics, or tobacco violations during the festive period via the Excise Department’s hotline 1913.
The closure forms part of an annual enforcement pattern around the Avurudu festival. Authorities have stepped up pre-New Year raids on price gouging and product safety violations in the lead-up to the holiday, including seizures of overpriced rice in Kegalle and unlicensed cosmetics in Pettah.
