Himachal to allot liquor vends through online auction

Himachal Pradesh government has decided to allocate retail liquor vends for financial year 2026–27 through an online e-auction system.

According to an official government statement, the move is aimed at promoting greater transparency, accountability and ease of doing business in the allocation process.

The e-auction will be conducted on a unit wise basis, with separate online bids invited for each unit comprising retail excise liquor vends. Bidders will be able to take part in the process remotely from their homes or offices.

The department has clarified that only bids submitted through the designated online portal will be considered valid. The link to access the e-auction platform will be hosted on the department’s official website, the commissioner stated.

Interested applicants have been advised to thoroughly review the Excise Policy 2026–27, along with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and user manuals, before participating. These documents will be available both on the department’s website and on the e-auction portal.