NEW DELHI: The sale of Scotch blended whisky Vat 69 and Smirnoff vodka has been banned in the national capital due to use of duplicate barcodes. Stores in Delhi will not be able to sell these brands for around two years.
By an order from the financial commissioner of the Delhi government, United Spirits Limited (USL), the manufacturer of the two spirits, has been blacklisted for allegedly using duplicate barcodes.
The actual direction banning the two brands came in May 2017, but it was challenged by the company in the Delhi government’s excise department.
In a September 14 order, financial commissioner Anindo Majumdar said USL had violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 by using unauthorised and loose barcodes, which could be easily misused.
“I am of the view that the appellant violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, the terms and conditions of the licence issued to it, and the standard operating procedure framed by the Delhi Excise Department, and that consequently the department has rightly imposed the penalty of blacklisting under Rule 70 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 upon United Spirits LTD (USL), Aurangabad,” the financial commissioner said in his order.
“It is, however, established that unauthorised barcodes were used. Moreover, the existence of loose barcodes has been established. These loose barcodes could easily be misused and cause danger to public health” the order stated.