Applicants flocked to 2,620 liquor stores across the state on Saturday. | Photo credit: By arrangement
As of Saturday evening (October 18), 11 pm, the Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department has received 85,363 applications for 2,620 liquor shops across the state.
Officials expect the number of claims to touch higher by the end of the day as claims keep piling up, taking the total collections to around ₹2,700 crore, up from ₹2,645 crore during the previous cycle.
Applicants flocked to 2,620 liquor stores across the state on Saturday. | Photo credit: By arrangement
As of Friday (October 17), the department had registered 50,000 applications. An additional 25,000 requests were reported as of 6 p.m. Saturday. However, this licensing cycle saw a drop in participation compared to 2023 when 1,32,324 applications were filed. Sources in the department attribute the drop to the increased application fee, which has been raised from ₹2 lakh in 2023 to ₹3 lakh this year.
Applications for the new licenses were invited through a notification issued in September, with the submission window open from 26 September to 18 October. Each applicant had to submit a demand draft or challan receipt for ₹ 3 lakh along with the application form. Only one application per person was allowed and applicants could choose any store location.
The department will conduct a lottery on October 23 for allotment of 2,620 liquor licenses in Telangana.
Published – 18 Oct 2025 19:44 IST
