Synopsis
On March 13, 2025, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah refuted claims of 200 new liquor vends being allocated under the 2025-2026 excise policy. He clarified that the number of vends remains unchanged and urged media outlets to stop spreading misinformation.Key Takeaways
- Omar Abdullah denied reports of new liquor outlets.
- The government stated that 271 vends were auctioned, with 34 pending re-auction.
- The total number of vends has not changed since FY 2023-2024.
- Details are available on the official excise department website.
- The news circulating on social media is false and baseless.
Srinagar, March 13 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Omar Abdullah, addressed a recent news article claiming that the government was promoting the allocation of 200 liquor outlets under its excise policy for 2025-2026.
On his social media platform, X, Abdullah stated, "NO NEW LIQUOR VENDS ARE BEING ADVERTISED OR ALLOTED BY MY GOVERNMENT."
He urged television channels and news websites to "immediately cease spreading this misinformation."
To substantiate his claim, the Chief Minister shared a screenshot of an official government statement that clarifies the situation. The government announcement outlined that "according to the J&K excise policy for 2025-2026," a total of 305 vends (wine shops) were made available for e-auction on February 15, 2025. Following the bidding process, 271 vends were allocated to successful bidders, while 34 vends are set to be re-auctioned, as detailed in a public notice dated March 7, 2025. This re-auction process is scheduled to conclude on March 17, 2025.
Additionally, it is important to note that the number of JKEL-2 vends (Wine Shops) has remained unchanged since the fiscal year 2023-2024, with no increase in vends in either Jammu or Kashmir.
The distribution of the vends is as follows: Jammu has 291 and Kashmir has 14.
All pertinent information regarding the excise policy, including the locations of the vends, can be accessed on the official website of the excise department: https://jkexcise.nic.in.
Consequently, the circulating news on social media regarding an increase in the number of vends (Wine Shops) in Jammu & Kashmir is false and unfounded."
The report regarding the re-auction of 34 vends seems to have led to confusion about the establishment of new vends in the Kashmir province.
