Five challaned, but liquor vends still violate excise policy

MOHALI: The liquor vends in Mohali continue to violate the Excise Act with impunity despite challan of five liquor vends for allegedly reducing liquor prices lower than the minimum permissible selling price.

Though the display boards showing the reduced rates have been removed by the vend owners, but a bottle of liquor is being sold at reduced rates. The vend owners have, however, alleged that they had been losing sales due to huge rate difference of liquor between Mohali and Chandigarh.

Assistant excise and taxation commissioner (AETC) Paramjit Singh said the excise department had already warned the vend owners directing them to maintain the minimum sale price or face the heat.

The commissioner said: "The penalty imposition to liquor vends challaned for violating the excise act will take another week as the decision is to be taken at the commissioner level. The penalty may go up to Rs 3 lakh and subsequent violation can lead to cancellation of license of the vend owner."

The commissioner further said by reducing the prices lower than the minimum sale price, the vend owners would incur more losses.

"If they think that by reducing the prices they may cover up the minimum inventory quota, then they are mistaken as the department will charge duty against minimum quota and by reducing the basic price of a bottle of liquor, the vend owners will further face losses," said Paramjit Singh, assistant excise and taxation commissioner.

The liquor vends in Mohali have slashed liquor rates by 25% to 30% for regular brands as they claim that lower rates across the border in Chandigarh have attracted consumers rendering losses to Mohali traders.

"We have been asked to consume specified minimum inventory quota by the excise department which is mandatory, but as the customer is attracted by lower liquor rates in Chandigarh, we have suffered loses which drive us to lower the rates to get higher sales," said a liquor vend owner on condition of anonymity.

Owners give bill with reduced rates

The TOI during reality checks went across vends in Mohali and discovered that the vendors are offering reduced rates and volunteered to raise the bills at reduced rates. The TOI sought for a bill of Rs 380 for Royal Stag whiskey, which according to the minimum sale price must be sold at Rs 530.

"It is good to know that vend owners have started issuing sale invoice for which the department has been pressing religiously. There have been directions of the HC, making it mandatory for vend operators to issue bill for liquor bottle sold to a customer," said the commissioner. He said consumers could inform the department at +91-9872910013 if any liquor vend operator refused to give bill.