Liquor vends flout rules in Chandigarh, put boards on road berms, rate banners at entrance

Despite a ban on putting up advertisement boards on the main roads without permission in Chandigarh, some liquor vends have installed not one, but multiple signages, giving directions to their respective liquor stores. The violation is not limited to signage on the road berms, but the price of ‘chilled beer’ has also been publicised openly by putting banners at vends’ entrances.

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As per the Excise Policy 2025-26 (commencing from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026) clause 68 says that, ‘the licensee can at no time advertise the sale of liquor by announcing it on loudspeakers or by any other means. All signages and advertisements of the availability of liquor shall be prohibited. All licensees are bound to abide by Chandigarh Advertisement Control Order, 1954’.

And as per Chandigarh Advertisement Control Order, 1954, no hoarding, boards or banners or any sort of advertisement can be put up at the Sukhna lake, roundabouts, Madhya Marg, Jan Marg and all other main roads. At places other than these, it is only with the due permission of the civic body commissioner that hoardings can be allowed upon payment of a specific advertisement fee.

And, the permissions in such cases will also be granted only for a certain number of places. It also implies that no person shall erect, exhibit, fix, retain, display, exhibit, fix, retain or display any advertisement and sky sign in any street, road, park or at any place of some public resort.

This year, after the UT Administration made some major changes in the excise policy, majority of the liquor vends started their operation recently. And in order to attract the probable customers the owners are leaving no stone unturned from beautification of nearby areas with bright lights to installing unauthorised signage. While at some locations, the signage board is placed for the entire day, some vends commit such violation after sunset.

Top officials of the Excise and Taxation Department, Chandigarh, were unavailable for comments on the issue, while those working in vends refused to speak on the issue. “This is just a small signage board, how would it violate any rule,” replied a worker of a local vend. “During evening, these vends are lit with bright lights and are usually visible even from a mile. Some vends put signage with lights just to attract customers and all this is happening near the main roads. The Administration should take a call on restricting such acts,” said Rajnish Sood, a local resident.