Errant wine stores: Time for crackdown

Deccan Herald

30-04-2025

The Karnataka Excise Department's renewed pledge to clamp down on wine stores flagrantly violating licensing norms echoes a promise heard far too many times. Whether this will be just another hollow assurance or the beginning of a genuine crackdown remains to be seen. For decades, these establishments have operated with an audacious disregard for the law, allowing customers to consume alcohol on their premises – transforming what are legally designated as retail outlets into unruly, unregulated drinking dens. This is not just a legal violation, it is a blatant public nuisance. Drunken brawls, loud disturbances, and haphazard parking plague neighbourhoods where these outlets operate, turning residential areas into zones of chaos. Worse, many of these shops are near schools, temples, and hospitals, exposing vulnerable sections of society to drunken misconduct. The state can no longer tolerate this menace in the name of revenue or bureaucratic apathy..Karnataka excise department vows to curb drinking at liquor stores.Under the CL-2 licence, wine stores are permitted to sell only sealed liquor bottles, and consumption on the premises is strictly prohibited. Yet, in open defiance of the law, many stores facilitate drinking in backrooms, behind makeshift curtains, or even openly, essentially running illegal mini-bars without any accountability or oversight required of a licensed establishment. Some even go so far as to serve snacks, encouraging prolonged drinking sessions, and even catering to underage customers. The police and the Excise Department have turned a blind eye, either due to corruption or pressure to meet high revenue targets. The state government has set an ambitious target of Rs 40,000 crore in excise revenue for 2025-26, making it the second largest source of its tax revenue. There is apprehension among officers that stricter enforcement could jeopardise these targets. However, this short-term revenue thinking cannot justify long-term social costs. Public health, order, and the rule of law must come first..The Excise Department must cease its pattern of offering excuses and instead prosecute the offenders. The time for tepid promises and hollow assurances has long passed, The streets and neighbourhoods of the state should be reclaimed from the disruptive influence of these rogue wine stores. The government has a fundamental responsibility to uphold the law, ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens, and demonstrate that anarchy will not be allowed to prevail in the pursuit of revenue. The government should send a strong message that violating laws and regulations will not be tolerated by taking action against both errant wine stores and officers who have colluded with them. A decisive and sustained crackdown is not just necessary, it is imperative.