Greater Kashmir: Srinagar: Tuesday, 22th
September 2026.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.
The number of liquor shops
has increased substantially across several excise ranges of Jammu and Kashmir
since 2021, with the sharpest growth recorded in parts of Jammu and the Chenab
region, according to information furnished by the Excise Department under the
Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.
The data, however, does not indicate an increase in the overall number of retail liquor vends in J&K, as the Excise Department had stated in March 2025 that the UT-wide number of JKEL-2 retail vends had remained at 305 since 2023-24, with 291 in Jammu and 14 in Kashmir.
The RTI replies show that the City Excise Range, North Jammu had the highest number of liquor shops among the seven ranges, increasing from 68 in 2021-22 to 84 in 2025-26.
In Kathua, the number rose from 15 to 31, while the Rajouri-Poonch range saw an increase from 13 to 26 over the same period.
The Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range recorded an increase from 12 shops in 2021-22 to 23 in 2025-26.
In Kashmir, the Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range reported an increase from 10 shops in 2021 to 16 in 2025, with the figure remaining 16 in the response for 2026 till August 15.
The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora range, which reported no liquor shop in 2021, had four by 2023 and continued to have four in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The Anantnag-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam range also reported no shop in 2021, but had two from 2023 onwards.
The range-wise data also shows a substantial rise in excise revenue.
Across the seven ranges, combined revenue reported for 2021-22 was about Rs 381.6 crore, compared with approximately Rs 612 crore in 2025-26, based on the figures furnished by the respective Excise and Taxation Officers.
The North Jammu range alone reported revenue of Rs 237.94 crore in 2025-26, up from Rs 173.89 crore in 2021-22.
Kathua's revenue rose from Rs 69.02 crore to Rs 100.19 crore, while Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban reported an increase from Rs 35.43 crore to Rs 60.84 crore.
Rajouri-Poonch recorded Rs 65.90 crore in 2025-26, against Rs 43.78 crore in 2021-22.
In the Kashmir ranges covered by the RTI, Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal reported Rs 81.68 crore in 2025, compared with Rs 59.51 crore in 2021. Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora reported Rs 5.64 crore in 2025, while the Anantnag range reported Rs 9.03 crore.
The 2026 figures in the RTI are only up to August 15 or August 31, depending on the range, and therefore are not comparable with full-year figures.
The Excise Department says its policy is not to encourage indiscriminate growth in consumption of intoxicants, but to regulate existing consumption and ensure that consumers use legally regulated sources rather than illicitly distilled or non-duty-paid liquor.
The J&K Government has also continued to rely on e-auctions for retail liquor vends. For 2025-26, the Excise Department issued a notice for 305 JKEL-2 retail vends, with the government subsequently reiterating that the number had not increased from the 2023-24 level.
At the same time, liquor remains an important source of government revenue. The Excise Department's official revenue portal lists excise revenue receipts of Rs 2269.93 crore for 2024-25 and a budget figure of Rs 2280.85 crore for 2025-26.
Official data reported earlier this year also showed that more than 5.63 crore liquor bottles were sold across civil, CSD and paramilitary outlets in J&K up to January 2026 during 2025-26.
The RTI material also highlights manpower shortages in the Excise Department.
The Kathua Excise Range, for instance, has 23 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 36, while the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range has 14 vacancies against 24 sanctioned posts.
The Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range has eight vacancies against 35 sanctioned posts. The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora response also shows vacancies in its divisional establishment, while the North Jammu range's cadre statement records significant vacancies, particularly among Excise Guards.
The RTI responses say the department undertakes raids, inspections and naka checking at vulnerable locations to detect and prevent illegal transportation and trafficking of liquor and drugs.
They also cite the Social Responsibility Corpus Fund under the 2026-27 Excise Policy for activities including rehabilitation of families involved in illicit liquor trade and support for awareness, counselling and drug de-addiction programmes.
The RTI disclosures come amid renewed public and political debate over liquor sales in J&K. In February, the government told the Legislative Assembly that there was no proposal to open new wine shops in the next financial year.
The government has also previously said that prohibition could have implications for revenue, smuggling, illegal distillation and sectors including tourism and hospitality.
The latest RTI figures therefore point to a more complex picture than a simple increase in the total number of liquor shops: while the overall sanctioned retail-vend count has remained unchanged in recent years, the number of outlets reported within several individual excise ranges has increased markedly, alongside higher revenue collections.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.
The data, however, does not indicate an increase in the overall number of retail liquor vends in J&K, as the Excise Department had stated in March 2025 that the UT-wide number of JKEL-2 retail vends had remained at 305 since 2023-24, with 291 in Jammu and 14 in Kashmir.
The RTI replies show that the City Excise Range, North Jammu had the highest number of liquor shops among the seven ranges, increasing from 68 in 2021-22 to 84 in 2025-26.
In Kathua, the number rose from 15 to 31, while the Rajouri-Poonch range saw an increase from 13 to 26 over the same period.
The Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range recorded an increase from 12 shops in 2021-22 to 23 in 2025-26.
In Kashmir, the Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range reported an increase from 10 shops in 2021 to 16 in 2025, with the figure remaining 16 in the response for 2026 till August 15.
The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora range, which reported no liquor shop in 2021, had four by 2023 and continued to have four in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The Anantnag-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam range also reported no shop in 2021, but had two from 2023 onwards.
The range-wise data also shows a substantial rise in excise revenue.
Across the seven ranges, combined revenue reported for 2021-22 was about Rs 381.6 crore, compared with approximately Rs 612 crore in 2025-26, based on the figures furnished by the respective Excise and Taxation Officers.
The North Jammu range alone reported revenue of Rs 237.94 crore in 2025-26, up from Rs 173.89 crore in 2021-22.
Kathua's revenue rose from Rs 69.02 crore to Rs 100.19 crore, while Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban reported an increase from Rs 35.43 crore to Rs 60.84 crore.
Rajouri-Poonch recorded Rs 65.90 crore in 2025-26, against Rs 43.78 crore in 2021-22.
In the Kashmir ranges covered by the RTI, Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal reported Rs 81.68 crore in 2025, compared with Rs 59.51 crore in 2021. Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora reported Rs 5.64 crore in 2025, while the Anantnag range reported Rs 9.03 crore.
The 2026 figures in the RTI are only up to August 15 or August 31, depending on the range, and therefore are not comparable with full-year figures.
The Excise Department says its policy is not to encourage indiscriminate growth in consumption of intoxicants, but to regulate existing consumption and ensure that consumers use legally regulated sources rather than illicitly distilled or non-duty-paid liquor.
The J&K Government has also continued to rely on e-auctions for retail liquor vends. For 2025-26, the Excise Department issued a notice for 305 JKEL-2 retail vends, with the government subsequently reiterating that the number had not increased from the 2023-24 level.
At the same time, liquor remains an important source of government revenue. The Excise Department's official revenue portal lists excise revenue receipts of Rs 2269.93 crore for 2024-25 and a budget figure of Rs 2280.85 crore for 2025-26.
Official data reported earlier this year also showed that more than 5.63 crore liquor bottles were sold across civil, CSD and paramilitary outlets in J&K up to January 2026 during 2025-26.
The RTI material also highlights manpower shortages in the Excise Department.
The Kathua Excise Range, for instance, has 23 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 36, while the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range has 14 vacancies against 24 sanctioned posts.
The Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range has eight vacancies against 35 sanctioned posts. The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora response also shows vacancies in its divisional establishment, while the North Jammu range's cadre statement records significant vacancies, particularly among Excise Guards.
The RTI responses say the department undertakes raids, inspections and naka checking at vulnerable locations to detect and prevent illegal transportation and trafficking of liquor and drugs.
They also cite the Social Responsibility Corpus Fund under the 2026-27 Excise Policy for activities including rehabilitation of families involved in illicit liquor trade and support for awareness, counselling and drug de-addiction programmes.
The RTI disclosures come amid renewed public and political debate over liquor sales in J&K. In February, the government told the Legislative Assembly that there was no proposal to open new wine shops in the next financial year.
The government has also previously said that prohibition could have implications for revenue, smuggling, illegal distillation and sectors including tourism and hospitality.
The latest RTI figures therefore point to a more complex picture than a simple increase in the total number of liquor shops: while the overall sanctioned retail-vend count has remained unchanged in recent years, the number of outlets reported within several individual excise ranges has increased markedly, alongside higher revenue collections.
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