Liquor prices to rise up in Chandigarh

The Chandigarh Administration has introduced a marginal increase in liquor prices and several regulatory changes aimed at improving revenue collection and monitoring of the liquor trade under the Excise Policy for FY 2026-27.

Under the new policy, liquor prices in the Union Territory will increase by up to two percent. The administration has proposed a similar hike in the ex-distillery price (EDP) of country liquor, foreign liquor, Indian beer and wine, which will directly impact retail prices. For instance, a bottle priced at ₹1,000 may now cost around ₹20 more.

The reserve price for the auction of 97 liquor vends has been fixed at ₹454.35 crore, about ₹10 crore higher than the previous policy. The security deposit for retail licensees has also been increased to 17 percent of the bid amount.

To facilitate trade, the policy removes the requirement for L-1F and F-1DF licence holders to operate bonded warehouses within Chandigarh, allowing operations from custom-approved bonded warehouses anywhere in India. Operators must now register online on the excise portal and upload import-export details by the seventh of each month.

The policy also reintroduces the L-10B licence, allowing the sale of alcohol in department stores. Further measures include mandatory CCTV surveillance at warehouses, retail outlets and bottling plants, GPS tracking for liquor transport vehicles, and stricter enforcement of advertising regulations. Bottling plants will now operate six days a week instead of five.

The cow cess on liquor sales will continue, with 50 paise on country liquor and beer bottles and ₹1 on whisky bottles, while retail quotas for country liquor, IMFL and IFL remain unchanged to maintain market balance.