The state government tabled `UP Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2018 on Monday, for allowing the sale and consumption of India Made Foreign liquor (IMFl) at model shops in urban areas of the state. There are total 407 model shops selling IMFl across 75 districts of the state. The number of total liquor shops in the state is over 25,000 which include 14,459 shops for country liquor, 5,650 of IMFl and 4,833 beer bars.
The Bill will replace ``UP Excise (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, promulgated by Governor Ram Naik on January 29 this year. The system of model shop for marketing of IMFl was introduced by the Rajnath Singh-led BJP government in 2001-02.
On September 22 last year, the Allahabad High Court had directed the UP government to reconsider the arrangement at Model liquor Shops which allow people to sit and consume alcohol. The court also asked the Yogi government to respond on this matter within a month.
The High Court had decided that the provision in the rules for giving license for sale of IMFl for consumption on the premises of model shop was prima facie not maintainable according to provisions of United Province Excise Act, 1910 and action should be taken against such licenses. The High Court issued the direction following a petition of Akhil Bharatiya Sarjan Sarvajan Sarjan Hitay Parishad which demanded that consumption of liquor be stopped in model liquor shops. After accepting the petition, the court gave the state government a month’s time to respond. The Governor had promulgated an ordinance for amendment of UP Excise Act.