- KR Bharat
- 2025-10-21
Applicants for retail liquor shop licences in Telangana are gearing up to challenge the state’s decision to extend the submission deadline, calling the move “arbitrary and illegal.” The original cut-off date of October 18 for applications under the 2025–27 excise policy was pushed to October 23 after the Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department cited disruptions caused by a bandh and banking issues. Critics argue that the extension undermines those who filed on time and opens the door to unfair competition.
They point to a precedent in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where the court ruled in 2020 that deadline extensions in licence applications were “contrary to rules and against public interest” and set aside such extensions. In Telangana’s case, some applicants believe the extension was prompted less by genuine logistical problems and more by revenue- or favour-related motivations, especially given the hike in non-refundable application fees.
