Chandigarh: Two judges recuse from hearing plea on liquor vends allotment

Two judges of different benches of Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday recused themselves from hearing a batch of petitions on the controversy surrounding allotment of liquor vends under UT’s 2025-26 Excise Policy.

The case was listed for hearing before the bench of justice Deepak Sibal and justice Sumeet Goel. However, justice Sibal recused from hearing the case and ordered that the case be listed for hearing on Friday itself before another bench.

Later, it was taken up by the bench of justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and justice Deepak Manchanda. But here also justice Grewal recused from hearing the case. On Wednesday, a bench, presided by justice Lisa Gill, had recused from hearing the case.

Now, it will be listed for hearing before some other bench. It is to be recalled that the Supreme Court earlier this week had ordered expeditious disposal of the case by the high court.

On March 26, the high court had ordered maintenance of status quo on allotment of vends on three petitions challenging the tendering process for liquor vends. UT had challenged the same in Supreme Court, which quashed the high court order. Following this, liquor vends opened on Thursday.

In the plea before HC, some contractors have alleged that a single family and their associates had secured 87 out of the 96 vends auctioned by the UT excise and taxation department. UT has denied allegations of cartelisation.

In the auction held on March 21, the UT was able to auction 96 out of 97 liquor vends for the year 2025-26, raking in ₹606 crore in revenue—36% above the ₹439 crore reserve price. In recent years, it had been struggling to auction the liquor vends. However due to entry of some players from other states, 96 out of 97 vends were auctioned by the UT. In 2023, the department had failed to auction 18 liquor vends, while in 2024, it could sell 86 of total 94 vends after 12 rounds of auctions.