LIQUOR VENDS VIOLATING RULES: 26 Owners challaned in Ludhiana

Chandigarh, May 20, 2016: The state Excise and Taxation Department conducted surprise checking of liquor vends with a view to ensure strict compliance of provisions of state excise policy regarding observance of timings of liquor vends and to check sale of liquor to minors. During the checking conducted in last two days, 68 liquor vends in different districts were found flouting the instructions and provisions of policy.
Disclosing this, an official spokesman said that 61 liquor shops were opened before the opening time i.e. 9:00 AMwhich in contravention of the prescribed regulations. He informed that a total of 10 challans were issued to the owners of liquor vends opening before 9 AM whereas in Kapurthala and Patiala 4 each, Ludhiana 26, Fatehgarh Sahib 3, Sangrur 2, Barnala and Ferozepur 6 challans each were issued. Elaborating more, the spokesman said that show cause notices are being issued for taking penal action against the defaulting licensees.
Divulging more, the spokesman said the checking teams reported 2 cases of selling liquor to minors at Amritsar and 1 each at Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Mansa. Furthermore, 7 liquor vends were detected selling liquor to minors, out of which, the department detected 6 cases of violation of sale of liquor to minors by sending decoy customers whereas in another case the violation was detected after close monitoring of sales at the liquor shop.