BENGALURU/MYSURU: Retail liquor stores in Karnataka, which opened on Monday after 43 days, have sold alcohol at the old maximum retail price (MRP). The State government had increased the additional excise duty by 6 per cent on all slabs of Indian Made Liquor (IML) with effect from April 1 but the liquor stores were closed on March 23, two days before the national lockdown. “Liquor was sold at the previous MRP because the Karnataka State Beverage Corporation Limited (KSBCL) depots were also closed. They opened only on Monday.
The new MRP has not been brought into effect. It will take the KSBCL a couple of days to implement the new rates effective from April 1,” said an official source. KSBCL is a private limited company of the State government. He said that retail liquor shops barring those in containment areas sold more than 70 per cent of their stocks in one day on Monday. Regarding MRP violation by store owners, the officer said, “The licences of many retailers have been suspended during the lockdown for violation of licence rules. None of them would like to take a chance.
There is random and strict checking at all liquor stores,” he added. In Mysuru too, people bought liquor at the old MRP. However, there have been complaints that some shops in rural areas sold merchandise at new rates. Excise DC Murali said that they are yet to get the list of revised rates of liquor.
Those who turned up late showed restraint preferring to get it on Tuesday or the day after. But they have to pay more for their patience as the new rate is expected to come into effect in a day or two. Hemanth Kumar regretted the chance to grab his quota at old rates.
“I have to pay a heavy price for missing the queue on the first day,” he said. Venkatesh, owner of a liquor shop, said he closed his store at 5 pm as they had no stock left. However, many shops with no stocks have transferred money and sent an indent to state-owned the Karnataka Beverages Corporation for allotment of stock. Raghu, a shop owner, said that he has placed orders for new stock that must be sold at the new rates. The shops are also awaiting guidelines on the prices and other issues.