Allotment of licence for 48 liquor shops held up

Draw of lots held across 33 districts

The draw of lots to allot 2,572 out of 2,620 notified liquor shops for the license period over next two years was held on Saturday in all the 33 districts.

The process was held up in the case of 48 shops in 18 districts as the number of applications received for them was lower than the prescribed minimum of 10, raising suspicion that the applicants may have formed cartels. The Excise department initiated an inquiry and a decision on conducting another round of lottery for the auction of the licences for these shops is likely to be taken up on Monday, sources said.

The lots were conducted in the presence of district collectors at a centralised venue for all the shops in each of the 33 districts. Over 67,000 applications were received for the shops which generated a non-refundable application money of ₹ 1,357 crore to the government.