Harassment of wine dealers continues in Telangana

Harassment of wine dealers in Telangana is continuing as three vehicles were seized in Hyderabad on Wednesday as well

Hyderabad: With the lack of coordination between Excise and Commercial Tax departments over e-way bills and VAT for transporting liquor stocks from depots to retail outlets yet to be sorted out, harassment of wine dealers in the State is continuing. Three vehicles were seized in the city on Wednesday as well.

Following reports in the media over how Commercial Tax officers were intercepting vehicles carrying liquor stocks to wine shops and seizing them citing the absence of an e-way bill, the department issued orders to its officials asking them to refrain from detaining the vehicles. The Excise department too had requested the Commercial Tax department not to subject the wine dealers to any inconvenience and sought time for arranging manpower to issue e-way bills.

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However, the Commercial Tax department orders to its officials are valid only till March 15, Telangana State Wine Dealers Association president D Venkateshwara Rao said.

“We have no clue on what will happen after March 15. Excise officials are also clueless but are assuring us that things will be sorted out,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Excise department on Wednesday issued Transport Permits to the dealers duly specifying in the bill that the purchaser has paid VAT amount for the stocks. Transport permit is issued by the Excise department to the dealers permitting them to shift the stocks from depots to their outlets.

Despite the VAT component being clearly mentioned in the permit, Commercial Tax officials intercepted three vehicles at APPA junction in the city around 530 pm on Wednesday. The issue was immediately brought to the notice of Excise officials, who spoke to the Commercial Tax officials and the vehicles were released without levying penalty, he said.

“Lack of understanding and communication between Excise and Commercial Tax departments is putting us in a spot of bother,” Venkateshwara Rao.

Regarding the vehicles that were seized since the last few days across the State, Commercial Tax officials said separate instructions would be issued to legalise the notices issued, he added.