Jaipur: Liquor vendors across the city announced an indefinite shutdown of liquor shops from Feb 16, citing sustained police interference during operating hours.Shopkeepers warned of sharp revenue losses if the situation is not addressed immediately.In a strongly worded memorandum to the Excise Commissioner of the Rajasthan govt, the traders accused the police of turning routine business hours into a daily ordeal. They alleged that despite official permission to operate till 8pm, police personnel routinely descended on liquor outlets as early as 7:30pm, forcing premature closures, driving away customers, and inflicting heavy financial damage.The protest is being led by the Raj Liquor Welfare Society, which claimed the situation reached a breaking point. Society president Nilesh Mewara said, “Our livelihoods are being strangled, while the state exchequer is losing substantial revenue every single day due to disrupted sales. We will hand over our shop keys to the Commissioner and, if our demands are not met, we will go for an indefinite strike.”Demanding immediate intervention, the association called for strict directions to stop police interference and sought an extension of shop timings from 8pm to 11pm to compensate for mounting losses and restore confidence among vendors. An official said, “The Rajasthan govt amended ‘The Rajasthan Excise and Temperance Policy 2025–29′, paving the way for extended operating hours for liquor shops across the state. The Excise Commissioner was authorised to extend shop timings, with liquor outlets likely to be permitted to operate until 10pm.”Rajasthan is the only state where shops close at 8pm, while neighbouring states allow them to remain open until 10pm.
