UT Admn allows sale of booze at petrol stations

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

For the first time, the UT Administration has allowed petrol pumps and shopping malls to sell imported wine, Indian wine and imported beer on their premises.

In the excise policy for 2018-19, a new licence — Form L-2D (retail vend of imported wine, Indian wine and imported beer for consumption off the premises) has been introduced. An officer of the Department of Excise and Taxation said a fee of Rs 2 lakh had been fixed for issuing the licence.

Under the policy, a shop or establishment registered under the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017, the Punjab VAT Act, 2005, and the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, in the UT in an approved commercial market, petrol pumps or a shop in a mall having a minimum covered area of 300 sq ft will be allowed to sell liquor.

The department has imposed certain conditions for the sale of liquor at such places. There should be a separate area exclusively for the sale, storage and display of alcoholic products. There should be a systematic layout of alcoholic products on shelves, which can be accessed by walk-in consumers. The premises should be air-conditioned with quality flooring. Besides, a computerised system for issuing cash memos should be available on the premises. Commercial establishments having a minimum turnover of Rs 50 lakh have also been allowed to sell liquor. For the first time, besides cash payment, the department has also made it mandatory for the retail sale licensee to provide an alternative option of payment to the customer.