EC issues notice to Uttarakhand government on bending excise rules
DEHRADUN: The State Election Commission has issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government for allegedly bending excise rules in awarding wholesale foreign liquor licence to unduly favour some private companies.
The SEC move came on a complaint by BJP leader Ajay Bhatt, who questioned the Congress government’s timing of issuing the order and claimed that it will benefit only two private firms.
Without naming the firms, Bhatt said, “The move will benefit only two selected firms and no one knows why the Congress government was in such a tearing hurry to issue the order in spite of the model code of conduct coming into force.”
Sources in the EC said a notice has been issued to SS Sandhu, principle secretary, excise, Uttrakhand. “After taking cognizance of the complaint, a notice has been issued and its reply is likely to be submitted by Tuesday,” said a senior election officer.
The complaint refers to a state government order dated March 29 which formulated the policy to award wholesale foreign liquor (FL2) licence to the firms. The move would result in a monopoly in wholesale of foreign liquor in Uttarakhand and revenue losses as the state was collecting revenue from 40 companies with FL2 licenses, Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, said.
“Restricting the FL2 for only two players implies that the state government wants to bring Ponty Chadha styled excise regime in Uttarakhand, which will encourage mass scale foreign liquor smuggling,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations, a Congress leader said, “It is a baseless allegation and by next week, the government will file its response with all the facts.” The state government has put the move on hold.
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