A new gazette notification has been issued tightening regulations on tax payments and licensing fees for alcohol production in Sri Lanka.
The directive, issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Financial Planning and Economic Development, comes into effect today (28). It mandates that all license holders must ensure timely payment of taxes in accordance with Section 22 of the Excise Ordinance.
Under the revised provisions, the bottling license of any licensee who fails to settle the full amount of tax or fees within 30 days from the due date will be suspended. The Excise Department noted that although this requirement existed earlier, it was not enforced, making this an entirely new implementation.
Further, all licenses held by a defaulter will be suspended if dues remain outstanding for more than 90 days. The department stated that the period for such license suspensions has now been reduced to three months from the previous six-month threshold.
Authorities say the changes aim to curb excise tax evasion and ensure greater compliance within the alcohol manufacturing sector.
