Chandigarh, January 31

The Election Commission (EC) today ordered two distilleries, including one owned by a Bathinda family close to the ruling Badals, and three bottling units in Punjab to shut operations till the Assembly elections on February 4. 

Varun Roojam, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, said the operations at BCL, Bathinda and Patiala Distilleries as well as three bottling units — Adi Brownson Breweries, Gurdaspur, United Spirits, Moonak, and Pernod Ricord, Mohali — had been halted till the elections. The orders come days after over 1 lakh litres of illicit liquor was seized in Bathinda and Sangrur districts. 

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer  VK Singh said the seized liquor was distilled and bottled at these units and they could not dispatch their liquor stock till the polling day.

“An excise team inspected our premises on Monday and found nothing amiss. How are we to blame if illicit liquor has been seized? I will surely make a representation against this decision,”  a rattled Rajinder Mittal of BCL Industries told The Tribune. 

Meanwhile, the EC has identified over 5,500 pockets in as many polling stations as vulnerable . “Adequate security forces will be deputed to ensure free and fair elections,” VK Singh said. The police have so far rounded up 5,573 trouble-makers and taken 4,147 in preventive custody. Of the 3.55 lakh licensed weapons, 3.35 lakh have been deposited with the police.