Liquor Shops

Assam allows 24/7 shop operations in key cities, bars & liquor shops exempt

Workers cannot exceed 48 hours a week or 9 hours a day; no one will work over 5 hours straight without a 30-minute break and overtime beyond set limits is capped at 125 hours in three months

UP's new excise policy: E-lottery for licences, higher alcohol prices ahead

Uttar Pradesh government approves new Excise Policy for 2025-26, introducing e-lottery for liquor shop licences, higher alcohol prices, and consumer-friendly reforms

Delhi clubs, bars to check hard copy age proof for legal drinking

The Delhi government has directed operators of the city's hotels, clubs and restaurants serving liquor to verify the age of their clients through hard copies of government-issued identity proofs after violations of the legal drinking age norm were detected. In Delhi, liquor is served only to persons aged 25 years and above. The excise department of the Delhi government, during routine inspections by its teams in recent days, found customers younger than 25 years having alcohol at bars, clubs and restaurants. The inspections also revealed that some customers were consuming liquor pretending to have completed 25 years. Complaints were also received by the department that some excise licensees were serving liquor to underage persons, officials said. Under the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, no person or licensed vendor or his employee or agent will sell or deliver liquor to any person apparently under the age of 25 years for personal or others' consumption. The violations of the age restrict

SC issues notice on petition for age checks at bars and liquor stores

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre in response to a petition calling for mandatory age verification at liquor outlets to prevent underage drinking and accidents

Spurious liquor claims 231 lives in Odisha over past 27 yrs, assembly told

As many as 231 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Odisha in 27 years between 1992 and 2019, Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the assembly on Saturday. In a written reply to a question of Congress MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka, the minister said the highest number of 134 people died after consuming hooch in Cuttack district in 1992. He said 41 people of Tukulipada in the then Bhubaneswar & Cuttack district lost their lives after drinking such liquor in 2012. The minister said spurious liquor also claimed 20 lives in Puri in 2001, 19 in Ganjam district in 2006, ten (three in Khurda & seven in Bolangir) in 2009 and seven in Bhadrak district in 2019. Harichandan said that the government, at present, doesn't have any proposal to provide assistance and rehabilitation to people falling ill due to the consumption of hooch and those addicted to liquor. A total of 433 country liquor (Mahua) shops are operating in Odisha and the government has collected Rs 227 crore ..

Delhi officials reject Pernod liquor licence appeal, cite investigations

The rejection adds to Pernod's India woes, with the French drinks group facing two antitrust cases in India while it also contests a tax demand for nearly $250 million

Delhi Airport T3 opens first retail liquor store for domestic passengers

The liquor store at Terminal 3 will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unlike other retail liquor shops in Delhi. A similar store is also expected to open in Terminal 1

Delhi govt to soon open liquor vends at IGI Airport for domestic flyers

The Delhi government is likely to soon open liquor vends at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport serving domestic flyers after nearly two years of obstruction due to scrapping of its excise policy 2021-22, official sources said on Tuesday. The excise policy 2021-22 was scrapped by the Kejriwal government after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in its formulation and implementation in 2022. After scrapping of the excise policy 2021-22, the retail liquor sale in the city was handed over to the four agencies of the Delhi government that was earlier handled by private licensees. Sources said the Delhi government's agency DCCWS (Delhi Consumers' Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited) is going to open its liquor shop at T3 terminal's arrival section by July. Another store is likely to come up at T1 terminal's departure area later, they said. The earlier attempts of the government agencies to open liquor vends at the domest

Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy: 111 persons undergoing treatment in hospitals

At Puducherry 11 persons, in Salem district 30 persons, and in Villupuram district 4 persons are undergoing treatment at various government hospitals

Gurugram liquor shop on Golf Course road auctioned for whopping Rs 50 crore

The new Haryana excise policy 2024-2025, enforced on Wednesday, has also resulted in a 20 per cent hike in liquor prices in Gurugram

UP govt considering bars in Noida, Ghaziabad to stay open till 4 am

Bars in the two cities are allowed till 1 am now, whereas those in Gurgaon and Faridabad are permitted to stay open until 3 am

LS polls: Liquor shops to remain closed for 3 days from April 17 in Pondy

All liquor, toddy, arrack shops and also clubs, bars and restaurants serving liquor will remain closed for three days from April 17 in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions in view of Lok Sabha polls slated to be held on April 19 in the union territory. A notification of the Puducherry State Gazette said that the Lieutenant Governor has issued an order directing closure of the shops, clubs, bars and restaurants serving liquor to ensure "fair and peaceful polls in the Union Territory". The notification also said that all these shops and restaurants, bars and clubs would also remain closed on June 4 on account of counting of the votes. Another notification from the government said that as Kerala goes to the polls on April 26, all liquor, toddy and arrack shops and also clubs, bars and restaurants serving liquor would remain closed in Mahe region from April 24 to 26 to ensure fair peaceful polls and on June 4, the day of counting of votes. Mahe is an enclave of Puducherry in ..

LS polls: Liquor outlets, distilleries to be under surveillance in T'gana

For the first time in Telangana, all 24 liquor production points have been brought under CCTV surveillance to keep a check on the illegal flow of alcohol in the run-up to the May 13 Lok Sabha elections. Chief Electoral Office Vikas Raj said to prevent unwarranted liquor distribution during the elections, the state Excise Department is monitoring the sale of alcohol and will inform the Election Commission if there is a spike of more than 20 per cent in its production. The official said all the belt shops (unauthorised satellite shops) of liquor were shut down and the illegal network of distribution was stopped to a large extent. For the first time in Telangana state, 24 production points (for liquor--distilleries and breweries) all of them were brought under CCTV. And that was centrally monitored by the Commissioner's office and I (CEO) also have access to that. The outlets were brought under CCTV surveillance in September 2023 (ahead of state assembly polls). From then onwards we .

Pragya Thakur says BJP MLA running illegal liquor shop, demands his removal

BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur has accused her party legislator Sudesh Rai was running a liquor shop illegally in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district and expressed concern over the safety of women and girls. She has also demanded Rai's removal from the MLA's post. When contacted, Rai told the mediapersons to themselves inquire into Thakur's allegations. Thakur, who has been denied renomination from Bhopal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, on Monday night said she was on a visit to areas under her constituency to launch development works when some girls came to her at Khajuria Kala and complained a liquor outlet was being run in front of their school. "The girls were sad and teary-eyed, they complained that people gather at the liquor shop, make comments on them. They told me they are not safe and anything can happen to them. Some women said people enter their houses after consuming liquor," the BJP leader added. She claimed a police sub-inspector who was present th

Assam declares Jan 22 as dry day to mark Ayodhya's Ram temple consecration

The Assam government has declared January 22 as a "dry day" as the consecration of Ram temple will take place in Ayodhya on that day, a minister said. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma here on Sunday, Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said, "To commemorate the inauguration of Ram temple, the Assam government has decided to declare January 22 as a dry day." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scores of chief ministers from NDA-ruled states and more than 6,000 people are scheduled to attend the ceremony in Ayodhya. The cabinet also decided to increase the financial and administrative powers of three development councils for Mising, Rabha Hasong and Tiwa communities. "We will send a proposal to the Centre to secure more funds for these councils," Baruah said. The government also approved a financial package under an existing scheme for women registered under self-help groups (SHGs). "This will be a support to entrepreneur women for

Liquor shops to be open till 11 pm on eve of Christmas, New Year in Noida

Liquor shops will remain open till 11 pm on December 24 and 31 across Noida and Greater Noida on account of Christmas and New Year festivities, officials said on Saturday. The move follows an order of Uttar Pradesh Excise Commissioner Senthil Pandian C, who issued similar directions regarding extending the period of sale of liquor from all retail shops on the eve of Christmas and New Year. "In compliance with the order, authorised liquor outlets in Noida and Greater Noida will remain open from 10 am to 11 pm on December 24 and 31," Gautam Buddh Nagar District Excise Officer Subodh Kumar Srivastava told PTI. Usually, authorised liquor outlets in the region close at 10 pm. Earlier this week, the excise department asked Noida and Greater Noida residents to apply for an occasional bar licence if they are considering hosting parties, whether at homes or at the community level, where liquor would be served. Not having a valid licence for serving liquor is illegal and can attract legal .

Amid regulatory challenges, Pernod Ricard's Bouhier resigns as India head

It is also fighting a near $250 mn tax demand for allegedly undervaluing imports, and the Delhi city authorities have declined its request for a liquor sale licence

Amid rising temperatures, Delhites struggle to find favourite beer brands

Liquor shops in Delhi have limited stocking space, and a low number of shops in the city naturally means a low total stock holding

MP cabinet approves new excise policy; discourages liquor consumption

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet has approved the new excise policy under which 'ahatas', or areas for drinking attached to liquor outlets, and shop bars will be closed. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra made the announcement after the cabinet meeting on Sunday evening and said the new excise policy is designed to discourage liquor consumption. This comes amid senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti's demand for a "controlled liquor policy" in MP. Bharti, who started her campaign with the demand for total prohibition, has now been asking for regularisation of liquor sale in the state, where the Assembly polls are due this year-end. "All ahatas and shop bars are being shut in the state. Now, only liquor will be sold at the shops and places of drinking will not be allowed," Mishra, who is also the state government's spokesperson, said after the cabinet meeting. The distance of liquor shops from educational institutions, girls' hostels and religious places is being increase

Illegal liquor: Consumption may be up, but deaths show the opposite trend

India has a higher per capita consumption of illegal liquor than most countries in the neighbourhood