Punjab Govt. refuses to change timings of liquor vends

Chandigarh, October 4
The State of Punjab has refused to carry out changes in the timings of liquor vends. The State is also not against opening of the vends in the evenings of certain dry days.
The assertion came during the hearing of a petition filed in public interest by an advocate, HC Arora. He has challenged Punjab's Excise Policy for 2011-12 as far as it provides for opening of liquor vends at 7 am and provides that the vends shall remain open 5 pm onwards on the Independence Day the and Republic Day.
In its affidavit placed before the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice RN Raina, Excise and Taxation Commissioner A Venu Prasad asserted: "The opening and closing hours have been fixed by the State Cabinet while formulating the Excise Policy for the year 2011-2012. It is with a view to check and control the illegal activities of bootleggers and smugglers of liquor."
"The grant of these liquor licences constitutes a contract between the State and the licencees. The fixed opening and closing hours of liquor vends constitute a term and condition of such a licence, which could not be altered between period of the year. Large revenues received from these liquor licences by way of licence fee and other levies could be put at a stake," he maintained.
On the issue of permitting liquor vends to remain open 5.00 pm onwards on the Independence Day and Republic Day, the IAS officer, in the affidavit, said: "The opening and closure of liquor vends are not against the directive principles of State policy…the whole of the day of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, viz., the 2nd of October is observed as dry day."
The affidavit, however, states the suggestions put forth by the petitioner could be examined while formulating excise policy for the next year. The Bench directed the PIL to be listed on October 12 in "urgent matters" for further hearing.
The petitioner had earlier contended the opening of liquor vends at 7.00 am was unjustified as large majority of youths in Punjab were increasingly taking to drugs.