Vijayawada: The prohibition and excise department announced that it will re-notify 432 undisposed bar licences across the state. This move follows an initial draw of lots that left a significant number of licences unallotted. The re-notification includes 428 licences in the open category and four reserved for the toddy tapper castes (Geethakulalu). According to a directive from director of prohibition and excise Nishant Kumar, the re-notification process is designed to ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
District gazette will be issued on September 3 formally inviting applications. On September 14, the final deadline for both online and offline application submissions will end at 6 pm. On September 15, the draw of lots will be conducted by district collectors, beginning at 8 am. Selected applicants will be notified on the same day.
The highest number of open-category licences available are in the Guntur (67) and NTR (61) districts, followed by Visakhapatnam (63). The four reserved licences are located in the districts of Kakinada, Konaseema, Nandyal, and Nellore.
Deputy commissioners of prohibition and excise and district prohibition and excise officers have been instructed to follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the integrity of the selection process. The department’s initial target was to allot 840 open and 84 reserved bar licences. After the first round, 412 open and 80 reserved licences were successfully allotted, leaving the remaining 432 for this new draw.
