Latest news with #KarnatakaExciseDepartment
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Excise dept introduces online counselling for transfers of Group-C staff
Bengaluru: Inline with the 2025–26 state budget announcement, the Karnataka Excise Department has rolled out an online counselling-based transfer and recruitment system for its Group-C staff — including excise inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables. This reform follows the implementation of the Karnataka Civil Services (Excise Department Officers Transfer) Rules, 2025, which came into effect with a notification dated May 14, 2025. The government issued guidelines on July 8, 2025, detailing procedures for preparing priority lists, counselling timelines, and executing transfers. A dedicated software was developed to facilitate the online counselling process. The service records of all 2,453 personnel in the department have been digitised. A draft eligibility list for transfers was published on July 17, followed by an online objection process. After considering objections, the final list of eligible employees was released on July 23. Online counselling sessions were conducted for excise inspectors and sub-inspectors on July 24, and for head constables and constables on July 25. Based on their preferences, a total of 687 personnel have been transferred: 151 inspectors, 114 sub-inspectors, 7 head constables, and 415 constables. This process has been infused in the system following many officials disputing their out of term transfers according to a senior official. However, the transfer list for inspectors and sub-inspectors is subject to the final verdicts of cases pending before the Karnataka High Court, Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, and the Belagavi Bench. Meanwhile, transfer lists for head constables and constables have been finalised and released as per schedule.
Deccan Herald
30-04-2025
- Deccan Herald
Errant wine stores: Time for crackdown
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 excise department vows to curb drinking at liquor 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 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.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Karnataka Excise Department to Auction 600 Liquor Shop Licences to Curb Lobby Influence
Karnataka Excise Department liquor shop licences Karnataka will e-auction nearly 600 long-suspended liquor licences, aiming to generate about Rs 1,600 crore Excise official Licences suspended or not renewed since 1979 to get new lease of lifeIn a significant move to regulate the liquor trade and curb the influence of powerful lobbies, thehas decided to redistribute nearly 600including those of CL-2 (retail shops), CL-9 (bars and restaurants), and pending MSIL outlets through an e-auction for the first department aims to revive licences that have been suspended or left unrenewed for years, some dating back as far as 1979. By implementing this new system, the government expects to generate around Rs.1,600 crore in revenue, according to 136 CL-2 licences and 105 CL-9 licences have not been renewed due to a range of complications. These include unresolved family disputes among licence holders, unclear ownership transfers, non-payment of renewal fees, and ineligibility due to heirs working in government positions or other profit-making roles. Additionally, 271 MSIL outlets that were approved by the government are yet to begin operations.'Under the present rules, licence holders must renew their permits annually. While about 90% comply, a significant number have failed to do so, leading to closures and loss of revenue for the department,' a senior excise official state-run Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) had been sanctioned to open 1,363 retail liquor outlets (CL-11C) under quotas announced in 2009 and 2016. Of these, 1,133 received the green light, but 41 are currently non-operational, and 230 still await final approval. To address this, the Excise Department has sent a proposal to the Finance Department seeking permission to relocate these suspended licences to private players via e-auction. The objective is to plug revenue leaks and introduce greater transparency in the allocation Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly backed the e-auction initiative. In his budget speech delivered in March, he hinted at major reforms aimed at reducing manipulation and eliminating backdoor entries in the liquor licensing move is also being seen as an effort to dismantle the long-standing influence of the liquor lobby, which has historically played a dominant role in licence allocation. Several political figures and their associates are known to have used their clout to secure licences. Wealthy entities already running multiple outlets have often managed to acquire even more. There are also allegations that some senior excise officials have obtained licences under benami names and are operating liquor outlets unofficially.'The e-auction method aims to bring greater transparency and accountability to the licensing process. The excise official added, 'This move is expected to not only enhance the state's revenue but also ensure a fair and competitive environment in the liquor trade.'In a separate but related development highlighting the darker side of liquor consumption, a tragic incident has come to light in Bengaluru. A 21-year-old labourer, Kartik, lost his life after accepting a reckless drinking challenge from his friends. He had reportedly bet Rs.10,000 that he could consume five full bottles of whiskey without mixing it with after the stunt, Kartik became violently ill and was rushed to the Mulbagal Government Hospital. Tragically, he died before receiving treatment. Just a year into his marriage, Kartik had become a father only eight days before the friends, Munivenkatreddy and Subrahmanya, are among six people named in a police complaint filed by Kartik's grieving family. The complaint accuses them of encouraging him to take the fatal risk, despite being aware of the dangers involved.
