Daman withdraws liquor price notification following ECI intervention

Surat: The administration of the Union territories of Daman, Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DNH) had to face heat from Election Commission of India over releasing retail prices of packed liquor bottles on Thursday.
The administration had released authorized rates for liquor on April 9. But it had to withdraw the notification with immediate effect on Friday because of ECI’s intervention.

A senior officer in Daman’s excise department said, “The notification on retail rate list of Indian made foreign liquor, beer and country liquor was pending since the first notification on mandatory printing of MRP was released by the administration. The new rate list notification has been withdrawn for the time being because of model code of conduct, which is in force in view of Lok Sabha elections.”

Sources said ECI has been keeping a special vigil on Daman and Diu and DNH to ensure that liquor is not smuggled into Gujarat and for controlling sale of liquor to individual customers and tourists.

Pramod Tandel, a wine shop owner in Daman, told TOI, “The notification on the rate list issued by the administration has been withdrawn for the moment due to Lok Sabha elections, but the rates have been made effective in the form of MRP across both the territories. Daman is in the limelight because of availability of cheap liquor compared to neighbouring Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Tandel said, “Liquor in Daman is dirt cheap compared to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra as they are paying state tax in the form of VAT. Daman, Diu and DNH are Union territories and the rates here are applicable as per the central tax system.”