After nearly three decades, the Jammu Kahsmir administration is planning to open liquor shops at various locations across the Kashmir valley.
The Excise Department as per an official notice doing rounds on Social media has identified 183 new locations, 116 in Jammu and 67 in the Kashmir valley for sale of liquor.
The Excise Department has conducted a survey in exercise of the powers under rule 28 of J&K Liquor and License Rules 1984 and Section 4 (B) of the Excise Act and identified these locations for opening of new sale points, the notice reads.
A Source withing the excise department told The Kashmiriyat that currently 224 wine shops in Jammu Kashmir are operational, out of which 220 shops are in Jammu province. Among the 10 districts of Kashmir valley, only Srinagar has four shops.
Pertinently in Jammu Kashmir- the only Muslims majority state (formerly) in India, people in large numbers have been demanding a blanket ban on the sale of wine.