Chandigarh gets easier liquor access, stricter penalties, and GPS tracking

The new policy, which has been made public, seeks to balance the interests of consumers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and the government, an official said.

While the quota for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) remains unchanged, the quotas for Country Liquor and Imported Foreign Liquor (BIO) have been slightly increased to meet growing demand. Additionally, export fees have been raised.

To streamline operations, an auto-approval system has been introduced for brand and label registrations if they were approved in the previous year. The policy also allows inter-vend stock transfers between two retail vends under the same licensee for a reasonable transfer fee.

Stricter penalties, real-time GPS tracking for liquor transport

The policy introduces strict penalties for selling liquor below the minimum retail price. Retail vends violating pricing regulations will face a three-day closure for each offense, with repeated violations leading to non-renewal of licenses.

A mandatory Track and Trace system has been implemented to prevent illegal liquor sales and ensure proper inventory management. Additionally, all vehicles transporting liquor for import or export must now be equipped with GPS tracking for real-time monitoring.

Tighter regulations for foreign liquor importers

For L-1F license holders (importers of foreign liquor), stricter provisions have been introduced. All L-1F licensees must now submit a valid Import-Export Code (IEC) for the policy year, and all inward and outward supplies from custom bonded warehouses must be registered on the excise portal.

Furthermore, L-1F premises (godowns) must be located at least 100 meters away from their respective bonded warehouses, which must now be situated within Chandigarh only.

New rules for bars, breweries, and microbreweries

Under the new policy, bar licensees (L-3/L-4/L-5) can now procure liquor from retail vends (L-2/L-14A) in Chandigarh after paying the necessary excise duties. Microbreweries and BWH-2 (Bonded Warehouses) must conduct quarterly liquor quality tests at a government-approved laboratory.

In a relief for stakeholders, the permit revalidation fee has been reduced, easing the financial burden on liquor traders and businesses.