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Big News for Liquor Shops Before Puja! Major Changes in Opening Rules, New Directives for Malls
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News18•29-09-2026, 21:55
Big News for Liquor Shops Before Puja! Major Changes in Opening Rules, New Directives for Malls
- •The state government has made significant changes to liquor shop opening rules before Puja, with a new notification from the Excise Department.
- •New liquor shops in municipal and corporation areas must maintain a minimum distance of 500 meters from protected establishments.
- •Outside municipal and corporation areas, this distance has been set at one kilometer, previously one thousand feet.
- •Holders of old foreign liquor business licenses can apply for retail liquor sales licenses in new locations under specific conditions.
- •Rules for liquor sales licenses in shopping malls and centers have been amended, with new provisions for beer, wine, and specific classes of liquor shops.
- •New restrictions will not apply to licenses and preliminary permit applications approved by the state government before the new distance rules came into effect.
Key Questions Answered
In municipal and corporation areas, new liquor shops must maintain a minimum distance of 500 meters from specific protected establishments.
Outside municipal and corporation areas, the required minimum distance from protected establishments has been set to one kilometer.
Old foreign liquor license holders can apply for a retail sales license in a new location, subject to specific conditions and approval by the district collector and Excise Commissioner.
