Court Ruling Puts the Cork in Chandigarh's Liquor Sales Starting April 1

In a major order, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed all liquor vends in Chandigarh to shut down from April 1, 2025. The move comes amid charges that a single family grabbed 90% of the liquor vends at a recent auction in contravention of the 2025-26 UT Excise Policy. Accordingly, none of the 96 vends put up for sale will be permitted to operate until at least April 3, when the court will again consider the petitions questioning these allotments. Since the current financial year ends on March 31, current licensees will also have to stop functioning, resulting in a three-day dry period in liquor sales. The court order is to preserve status quo in the face of apprehensions regarding possible cartelization of the liquor trade, with hearings set for early April.