Punjab invites applications for allotment of liquor vends

Entire process of draw of lots to be video graphed

Chandigarh, March 19, 2015: Punjab Government has invited applications for allotment of retail sale licenses of Punjab medium liquor (PML) and Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) in the State for the year 2015-16 till March 23. Draw of lots will be held on March 27 and entire process would be video graphed.

A spokesman of Punjab Government today said applications may be submitted in the offices of respective AETCs in the districts. In addition applications may also be submitted in HDFC bank, Axis bank and State Bank of Patiala branches as authorised by the department. He clarified that if applicant enters the concerned AETC office or authorised bank branch before 5:00 P.M. on last day March 23, all applications would be accepted by the staff.

"Application should be furnished separately for each licensing unit or group or zone as applicable. A person can make any number of applications for any licensing unit without any upper limit", he added.

He said it would be mandatory that no licensed vendor or his/her employee would sell or deliver any liquor to any person apparently under age of twenty-five years whether for consumption by such person or by another person and whether for consumption on or off the premises of such vendor.

The liquor vends (L2, L14A and L52) situated in enclosures and prefabricated structures would be at a reasonable distance from the metallic portion of the roads. These vends would be situated at such a place that it would not cause any traffic hazard to the general public.

He also said regarding the location of vends on national highway or state highways as per the orders of High Court dated 18-03-2014 under writ petition No. 25777 of 2012, the department has filed a special leave petition in Supreme Court. In this case the licensees would have to abide by the compliance of decisions of Courts, whatsoever it might be.

Spokesman also said vends should be situated at a distance of 50 meters away from a religious place/educational institutions in urban areas and 100 meters away in rural areas. The licensee should have to display anti-drinking slogans prominently “Use of alcohol is injurious to health” in English, Hindi, Gurmukhi and Urdu.

He said if any applicant has any grievance that his application or particulars given in his application have not been properly recorded by the bank, he/she may submit objections via email at [email protected] by March 25 up to 2.00 PM.

The allotment of vends would be made by draw of lots which would be conducted by a committee comprising of Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner in-charge of the district, Excise and Taxation Officer (Excise) and Excise and Taxation Inspector (Excise) of the respective district in the presence of observers, representatives of media and applicants who wish to be present at the venue fixed for draw of lots, he added.