The Jammu Kashmir government has denied the opening of new wine shops in Jammu Kashmir.
The office of Jammu Kashmir chief Minister on Wednesday tweeted clarifying that no new shops were being allotted in the region. The government has clarified that there is no increase in the number of wine shops (vends) in the region for the fiscal year 2025-26.
Following the release of the Excise Policy for the year 2025-26, as per SO 38 dated February 15, 2025, a total of 305 vends (wine shops) were made available for e-auction.
The e-auction process, conducted by J&K Bank, successfully allotted 271 vends to the highest bidders, leaving 34 locations still open. These remaining 34 vends are being re-auctioned, with the bidding process set to conclude on March 17, 2025, as per the Public Notice issued on March 7, 2025.
The total number of vends in Jammu and Kashmir has remained unchanged since the 2023-24 fiscal year, with a breakdown of 291 vends in Jammu and 14 in Kashmir. The Excise Department has also emphasized that the details of the locations of these vends and other relevant information are available on the official Excise Department website at [https://jkexcise.nic.in](https://jkexcise.nic.in).
In light of recent rumors circulating on social media, the Excise Department has firmly stated that any claims of an increase in the number of vends are baseless and false. There has been no increase in the total number of wine shops in the region for the current fiscal year.
Author Profile
Latest entries
Photo/ ReutersINTERNATIONALMarch 12, 2025‘Massive migration begins’: Families massacred in Syria as death toll rises to 1200, says UN