The Chandigarh administration has approved the excise policy for 2026–27, paving the way for a slight increase in liquor prices in the city from April. The revised policy proposes a marginal hike of up to 2 per cent in the Ex-Distillery Price (EDP) for several categories of alcoholic beverages. The price adjustment will apply to Country Liquor, Indian Made Foreign Liquor, Indian beer, and Indian wines. However, the increase will not affect imported alcoholic beverages, including imported wines, imported beer, and imported foreign liquor.

Officials said the revision is part of the administration’s broader regulatory approach to maintain supply stability while ensuring compliance among liquor licence holders. Authorities noted that any further proposals to increase the ex-distillery price or the ex-brewery price (EBP) would only be considered after the first quarter of the policy year. Such revisions will depend on whether liquor brands maintain uninterrupted supply in the market during the initial months of the policy period.

The new excise framework also introduces stricter monitoring measures for the transportation of alcohol within and outside the Union Territory. Under the policy, all vehicles transporting liquor for import, export, or local distribution must now be equipped with GPS tracking systems. Officials said this step is intended to improve transparency in the movement of liquor consignments and curb illegal diversion or smuggling.

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Authorities believe that digital monitoring of supply chains will help strengthen enforcement mechanisms and improve revenue collection. The excise department plans to track the real-time movement of consignments to ensure that liquor meant for Chandigarh is not diverted to neighbouring states or unregulated markets. The administration has increasingly relied on technology-based monitoring systems to tighten oversight in the excise sector.

In addition to supply monitoring, the policy introduces stricter provisions to address delays or defaults in licence fee payments by vendors. Officials indicated that businesses failing to pay their licence fees within the stipulated timeline could face penalties and possible enforcement action. The administration said these measures aim to ensure greater financial discipline among licence holders operating in the city’s regulated liquor trade.

The updated excise policy forms part of Chandigarh’s annual regulatory framework governing alcohol sales and distribution. By implementing modest price revisions, strengthening monitoring mechanisms, and tightening compliance requirements, the administration hopes to maintain a balanced excise ecosystem that safeguards revenue while ensuring controlled and transparent liquor distribution across the Union Territory.

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