Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Tuesday returned to the state government the Jharkhand Excise (amendment) Bill, 2022, with a slew of suggestions and directions to make changes accordingly, officials aware of the development said.
With an objective to maximising excise revenue, the Hemant Soren government had, earlier this year, brought a new excise policy and took over the liquor wholesale and retail business under its control, amid protests from the private licence holders.
The liquor business in the state is now operating through a private agency under the watch of the state-run Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation (JBCL).
The Jharkhand Assembly had, on August 4, cleared the Jharkhand Excise (amendment) Bill, 2022, wherein the government had proposed certain changes in the Jharkhand Excise (amendment) Act, 2015.
A senior Raj Bhawan official said the Bill has been returned to the state government for reconsideration of certain points. “Suggestions have been made to review eight clauses in the amendment bill. After review, the government has been asked to take concurrence of the revenue council and make changes accordingly,” said a senior Raj Bhawan official.
In its recommendations, the Governor has also raised concern over the dwindling excise revenue in the state in first two quarters of the current financial year after introduction of the new excise policy.
“Conventionally, any change in the excise policy or the Act is first reviewed by the revenue council because the latter is empowered to do so. However, in the present case, it seems no consultation was done with the council. At the time of implementing the new excise policy, it was claimed that the revenue would increase. But the revenue collection in six months seems to be contrary,” says one of the suggestions sent to the state government.
The communication also raised question about the proposed amendment in section 7 of the Act to provide for special task and mobile forces for implementation of the policy on grounds that the original act already has such a provision.
The Governor has also questioned the provision making only the retail liquor shop staff accountable for any violation of the Act and said the responsibility of the agency (running the shop) and officers of JBCL should also be fixed. “It seems the provision has been included to shield the officers of the corporation and the agency concerned,” an official said.
The Governor has also raised objection to the amended provision allowing officers to settle disputes if any person is found to be in possession of liquor up to 20 litres.
The Governor has so far returned at least three bills to the government for different reasons.
On April 5 this year, Bais returned the Jharkhand Finance (amendment) Bill, 2021, to the government for the second time in two months as it was sent back to Raj Bhawan for his assent without allegedly following the laid down procedures meant for removing the defects highlighted by the gubernatorial office.
Prior to that, two other Bills which were passed in the winter session of the assembly last year were sent back to the government for adequate changes — Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021 and Pandit Raghunath Murmu Tribal University Bill, 2021.
The tribal university bill has been given final nod by the Governor, while the state government is still to table the anti-mob lynching Bill again in the House.
