Andhra Pradesh Extends Liquor Shop Licences for Another Year

The Andhra Pradesh government has taken a fresh decision on liquor shop licences as part of its 2026 to 27 excise policy. Licences for 3,736 liquor shops across the state will be extended for another year, with the new arrangement coming into effect from October 1.

Existing licence holders will be allowed to renew their permissions for the extended period. However, shops whose licence holders do not opt for renewal will be offered to new applicants through a lottery process.

Those interested in taking part in the lottery will have to pay a non refundable application fee of Rs 3 lakh. The government will use the process to select new licence holders for shops that are not renewed by the existing operators.

Along with the licence extension, the government has also decided to strengthen monitoring at liquor outlets. Every liquor shop will have to install four CCTV cameras as part of the new requirements.

The surveillance system is expected to go beyond regular camera monitoring. The government plans to introduce an artificial intelligence based system that will operate around the clock and help officials identify possible violations at liquor shops.

The move is aimed at keeping a closer watch on liquor sales and ensuring that licence holders follow the conditions prescribed under the excise policy. Authorities are also expected to use the monitoring system to improve oversight of activities at the outlets.

The government has announced another measure to tackle illegal liquor activity. People who provide information about the manufacture or sale of illegal liquor can receive a reward of up to Rs 1 lakh.

Officials are expected to use such information to identify illegal production and sales networks and take action against those involved.

The licence extension provides continuity for existing liquor shop operators, while the lottery option creates an opportunity for new applicants where licences are not renewed. At the same time, the government is seeking tighter control through CCTV cameras, artificial intelligence based monitoring and public information.

The new measures are part of the states broader effort to regulate liquor sales and strengthen enforcement under the latest excise policy.