The State Government is seriously examining the issue of grant of licences to malls and hypermarkets to sell liquor. The Government has accordingly decided to allow the malls / hypermarkets interested in applying for liquor licences to submit their applications through the regular process. Once the applications are submitted, the Excise Department would take a decision on them at the time of allotment of licences. The Government was said to be reluctant initially after considering the resistance to such a decision from women, particularly those hailing from the middle and higher middle class families, that frequent these places.
Senior officials said that the decision to allot licences to these entities would be pre-conditional. Licences would be allotted to malls / hypermarkets only if they were selected in the draw of lots.
Grant of licences would be considered in the event of a shop not given licence in the particular area where the establishment is located.