Maharashtra Liquor Strike: Protesters Oppose 60% Retail Price Surge, 15% Licence Fee Hike, and Excise Tax Increases
Liquor stores and permit rooms declare closures in protest of today’s tax and fee increases.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: As part of the state-level demonstration to demand unfulfilled demands, permit rooms in the district would remain closed on Monday. Permit room owners have protested twice in the past five months, with the most recent one occurring on March 20 of this year.
A virtual “dry day” for alcohol enthusiasts may ensue from the support that liquor stores with FL-II licences for the sale of foreign liquor have shown for the strike. Approximately 42 liquor stores and 650 eateries and bars that are allowed to serve alcohol are anticipated to stay closed today.
Even after the March 20 walkout, the state government has not given their requests any consideration, according to Shivaji Patil, head of the Aurangabad district hotels and restaurants owners association. “Liquor supplied in permission rooms now has a 10% VAT increase. We were afraid of losing business, so we couldn’t put the onus on customers. We’re having trouble sustaining,” he remarked.
According to Patil, the call to reverse a 15% increase in the yearly licence renewal fees for 2025–2026 has been ignored.
Owners of liquor stores declared their intention to participate in today’s strike in protest of the government’s recent raise.
“A significant rise in excise tax has resulted in an almost 60% increase in the retail price of liquor products. The cost of our investment increased significantly. “It is a double whammy for us because liquor companies have decreased our profit margin,” stated Amol Kolhe, office-bearer of the local liquor shop owners’ organisation.
The demonstration also targets the excise administration and police for allegedly failing to take action against hotels and dhabas that unlawfully permit alcohol use in their establishments. “If govt fails to take note of our strike, we will observe a state-level sit-in protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai and later may decide against non-renewal of our licence,” Patil stated.
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