UT invites online bids to re-allot 48 liquor vends

The UT Excise and Taxation Department has started the process for allotment of 48 liquor vends. The licences of these liquor vends were cancelled over non-payment of bank guarantee.

On March 21, the department had allotted 96 liquor vends out of total 97 through an e-auction and generated Rs 606 crore in licence fee against a reserve price of Rs 439 crore. However, the department had cancelled the licences of 48 liquor vends as the allottees had failed to submit bank guarantees mandated under the Excise Policy 2025-26.

The department today invited e-bids for allotment of these 48 vends. The bids would be opened on April 21. The department has earned nearly Rs 23 crore by forfeiting the earnest money and security deposits of the cancelled liquor vends.

As per Clause 21 of the policy, each successful bidder is required to furnish a bank guarantee amounting to 15% of the licence fee within seven working days of the allotment. Non-compliance leads to cancellation of the allotment and forfeiture of the security deposit.

Alleging cartelisation in the allotment of liquor vends, members of the Chandigarh Wine Contractors Association had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. They alleged that 87 out of 96 liquor vends had been allotted to just two-three individuals operating under different firms or through their relatives, associates and employees.

On March 26, the High Court had ordered a status quo on the allotment of vends. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for April 24.