VIJAYAWADA: The State government, which recently revised liquor prices to curb the flow of non-duty paid liquor from border States, is now contemplating amending GO 411, which specifies the maximum quantity of liquor an individual may have in his possession at a time without a permit or licence.
The officials have reportedly decided to limit the carrying limit of Indian made foreign liquor bottles to one from three at present. Earlier, the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) submitted a report to the government stating that high price of liquor in Andhra Pradesh is the root cause of the spurt in its smuggling from border States — particularly Telangana and Karnataka. It added that because of the high liquor prices, some addicts were consuming sanitiser. Following the report, the State government revised the rate chart, reducing the prices of cheap liquor and beer, and increasing the same for premium brands.
Meanwhile, the AP High Court, while hearing a petition, directed the State government to permit people coming from other States to bring liquor within the permissible limits — as per GO 411 issued on September 24, 2019. Officials said that the tipplers may take advantage of the verdict at the risk of causing loss to the State’s revenue, besides diluting the spirit of the phased prohibition plan.
As the HC has directed the State government to implement the GO (441), there would be no issue in amending it, they maintained.Commenting on the same, an official told TNIE: “The order permitting people coming from other States to bring three liquor bottles will soon be amended. The intention of the State government is to discourage tipplers. But as many districts share borders with other States, there are possibilities of many individuals bringing in three IMFL bottles as permitted by the government through the order.