The Chandigarh Administration has earned a record ₹496.81 crore by auctioning 83 liquor vends under the new excise policy for 2026–27, reflecting strong demand and aggressive bidding. Out of 97 vends put up for auction, 83 were successfully sold. The total reserve price for these 83 units was ₹385.24 crore, meaning the final bids were…
Buying alcohol in Chandigarh will become a little more expensive starting April 1, as the city administration introduces its Excise Policy for 2026–27. Under the new policy, the prices of country liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), and beer will increase by about 2%. The revised prices will apply to all liquor shops in the city…
Alcohol prices in Chandigarh are expected to increase from April 2026 after the city administration approved the Excise Policy for 2026–27. According to officials, the new policy includes a small increase of up to 2% in the Ex-Distillery Price (EDP) for several categories of alcoholic beverages. This price adjustment will likely make liquor slightly more…
Chandigarh:Punjab’s Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the state has achieved major financial progress under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government). According to him, Punjab has emerged among the top three states in India in revenue growth due to structural reforms, better financial discipline, and improved transparency in governance. Speaking at…
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested one member of an inter-state liquor smuggling gang and recovered 13,812 bottles of illegal English liquor during a late-night raid at the Sitapur Road toll plaza in Lucknow on Wednesday. According to officials, the liquor—of several popular brands—was hidden under sacks of potatoes inside a truck with…
Even as the UT excise and taxation department begins consultations for the 2026–27 Excise Policy, liquor contractors in Chandigarh say they are facing steep financial losses, with many struggling to pay their licence fees. On average, 10–12 liquor vends are being sealed every month for non-payment of mandatory fees, highlighting deep distress in the sector….
Chandigarh, June 17, 2025 — The Punjab Excise Department is planning a major upgrade of its liquor tracking system to fight rising cases of liquor smuggling in the state. The current system, which relies heavily on QR codes, has proven to be vulnerable, with smugglers reportedly bypassing it to supply illegal liquor. Why the Overhaul?…
On Monday, the Chandigarh administration sealed eight liquor shops because the shop owners didn’t pay their licence fees. These shops were located in various parts of the city, including two in Sector 9 and one each in Sector 32-D, Sector 40, Sector 45, Manimajra, Daria, and Mauli Jagran. The total annual licence fee for these…
Excise Department struggles with auction process amid legal tussle Chandigarh, April 9, 2025Just eight days into the new Excise Policy for 2025-26, the Chandigarh Excise and Taxation Department has sealed 42 liquor shops. These shops were shut down because their owners failed to submit the required bank guarantees totaling Rs 33 crore — a mandatory…
Chandigarh: The Chandigarh Wine Contractor Association has called for an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged irregularities in the recent liquor vend auction process. Allegations of Favoritism and Monopoly According to Darshan Singh Kler, president of the association, the UT Excise Policy 2025-26 clearly states that…