7 weeks on, amended Punjab Excise Bill 2021 awaiting governor’s nod

The new law has provision of capital punishment or life imprisonment for accused in case death is caused due to spurious liquor

The Punjab Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to ensure deterrent punishment for those involved in smuggling and selling of illicit liquor has been waiting the governor’s approval for the last seven weeks.

New amendments were promised by Cong government after state’s worst-ever hooch tragedy killed nearly 140 people last year.

The new bill was passed in the Punjab Assembly on March 8 during the last budget session. Besides amending sections 61 and 63 of the Punjab Excise Act 1914, a new section (61-A) was inserted in the Act, with provision of capital punishment or life imprisonment in case death is caused due to spurious liquor.

The new amendments were promised by the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government after the state’s worst-ever hooch tragedy killed nearly 140 people in Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts in July-August last year.

“We are waiting for the notification to invoke amended sections of the Act against the accused, which will be issued once it gets the governor’s assent,” said Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dhruman H Nimbale.

Another police official said, “Most of the people we are arresting in cases of illicit liquor get bail in a week or two due to the lenient sections of the old Act. The illegal trade will continue to flourish until the deterrent punishment, especially for the organised cartels, is approved.”

Also under the new Act, if disability or grievous injury is caused due to spurious liquor, the accused will be handed over imprisonment for a term not less than six years or even life besides fine up to ₹10 lakh.

If any other consequential injury is caused to any person, the accused will get a term up to 1 year and with fine extendable to ₹5 lakh. But if no injury is caused, the accused may get 6-month imprisonment with fine extendable to ₹2.5 lakh.

Also, as per the section of 63, the imprisonment has been increased from 1 to 3 year, and fine from ₹1,000 thousand to ₹10,000.