Urges TV channels and news portals to immediately stop spreading misinformation.
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Mar 12: Amid the ongoing controversy over liquor vends, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified the situation, stating that no new liquor vends are being advertised or allotted by his government.
He urged TV channels and news portals to immediately cease spreading this false information.
A government communiqué, a copy of which is with Kashmir Despatch, reads: “As per the J&K Excise Policy for the year 2025-26, notified vide SO 38 dated 15th February 2025, 305 vends (wine shops) were put up for e-auction on 15.02.2025. Following the bidding process, 271 vends were allotted to successful H1 bidders through the e-auction process conducted by J&K Bank. The remaining 34 locations are being re-auctioned through a public notice issued on 07.03.2025, with the bidding process to be completed by 17.03.2025.”
The communiqué further clarified, “It is important to note that the number of JKEL-2 vends (wine shops) has remained unchanged at 305 since the financial year 2023-25. There has been no increase in the number of vends in either Jammu or Kashmir. The breakdown of vends is as follows: Jammu – 291 and Kashmir – 14.”
It added, “All details regarding the Excise Policy, including the location of vends (wine shops), are available on the official website of the Excise Department.”
The communiqué emphasized, “Therefore, the news circulating on social media regarding an increase in the number of vends (wine shops) in Jammu and Kashmir is fake and baseless.”
Earlier in the day, a national news channel had reported that the Omar Abdullah-led J&K government had invited fresh bids for 83 new liquor vends in the Union Territory. The government has firmly denied these claims, urging media outlets to verify facts before publishing such reports.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
