Karnataka sets 1.5 Cr base price for liquor licences in BLR

The Karnataka government has fixed a base price of Rs 1.5 crore per liquor licence in Bengaluru as it prepares to auction 569 defunct liquor permits across the state. The online auction process will commence from January 13.

Karnataka has not issued new CL-2 (retail liquor shop) and CL-9 (bar and restaurant) licences since 1992, making existing permits highly valuable. To facilitate the auction, the government has introduced two new categories CL(2-A) and CL(9-A). Of the total licences on offer, 477 are retail shop permits, with bidding for most Bengaluru licences starting at Rs 1.5 crore. Licences in Belagavi and Ballari will have a base price of Rs 1.1 crore, while the lowest base price of Rs 70 lakh applies to locations such as Honnavar, Tirthahalli and Shiggaon.

A total of 92 bar and restaurant licences will also be auctioned, with base prices ranging from Rs 1.1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore. The government expects bidding in Bengaluru to reach up to Rs 3 crore per licence. Auctioned licences will be valid for five years. The online auction will be conducted on MSTC Ltd’s portal, with live bidding scheduled from January 13 to 20. Registration is underway, and bidder training will continue until January 7.