Telangana: Lack of coordination between departments triggers harassment of wine dealers

Generally, e-way bills are issued by a wholesaler or distributor to a retailer on purchase of any goods.

Hyderabad: An apparent lack of communication and coordination between government departments is allegedly leading to harassment of wine dealers in the State. The issue arose with the Commercial Tax department insisting on e-way bills from the dealers, while the Excise department, which has to issue the e-way bill, not doing the same. Using the pretext of the absence of e-way bills, Commercial Tax officers are allegedly intercepting vehicles carrying liquor to wine shops and seizing them. The vehicles were being held at police stations, with the “harassment” affecting the entire liquor trade in the State, wine dealers said.

Generally, e-way bills are issued by a wholesaler or distributor to a retailer on purchase of any goods. In this context, if the e-way bill is made mandatory for wine dealers, the Excise department has to issue the same to the dealers as they purchase stocks from the department depots after paying the requisite amount, Telangana State Wine Dealers Association president D Venkateshwara Rao said.

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While purchasing stocks from the Excise department, dealers pay all the taxes, including Special Excise Cess and TCS. Only after this is paid, dealers can download bills and transport permits for vehicles to shift the stocks, he said.

“Since wine dealers sell the stocks to consumers in retail, why should we obtain the e-way bill. It is the Excise department that needs to issue the e-way bill along with other documents, which they are not doing,” Venkateshwara Rao argued.

On the other hand, Commercial Taxes officers were insisting on e-way bills, citing liquor as a sensitive commodity. A circular was issued by the department to its officers on February 29 making the e-way bill mandatory from March 7. As per the circular, all the dealers were required to generate e-way bills mandatorily under the provisions of TVAT Act, 2005, without any exception. The e-way bill should accompany the goods and should be tendered by the person-in-charge of the goods vehicle, the circular said. Accordingly, Commercial Tax officers are intercepting the vehicles and seizing them, besides holding them at police stations.

About 10 to 15 vehicles were seized at different locations, including Khammam, Ranga Reddy and other districts over the last few days. Even if it was mandatory for the dealers to register login credentials, the State government has to issue specific orders, a circular issued by Commercial Tax department would not be sufficient, Venkateshwara Rao said.

The dealers also demand that the department should have intimated them early and provided sufficient time for registering their names and other details.