LEH, Oct 27: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, IAS, on Tuesday chaired a meeting with women representatives of various religious organisations, including the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), to discuss their demands for complete prohibition of liquor in Ladakh and concerns regarding the excise policy.
The meeting was attended by Romil Singh Donk, IAS, Excise Commissioner, UT Ladakh; representatives of the All Ladakh Gompa Association (ALGA); President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association; President of Anjuman Imamia, Leh; and representatives of ALGAHA and ALTOA, among others.
During the meeting, women representatives expressed their concerns over the social and cultural implications of liquor consumption and demanded a complete ban on liquor across Ladakh. They also raised concerns over the growing number of licences issued to bars and other establishments selling liquor.
The meeting was informed that the Excise Policy 2026–27 had been rolled back in response to public sentiment, and the Excise Policy 2025–26 had been reinstated.
The participants were apprised of the status of liquor licences under the reinstated policy. It was informed that the number of retail liquor vends, which stood at two until last year, had been reduced to one functional outlet this year. However, the number of functional bars attached to restaurants offering retail sale of liquor had increased from 23 to 40 following the issuance of 17 additional licences.
Acknowledging the concerns raised by the women representatives, the Chief Secretary emphasised that the sentiments and views of the people of Ladakh must receive due consideration. He observed that the demand for declaring Ladakh a completely dry Union Territory was a significant issue requiring careful deliberation and consultation with all concerned stakeholders.
Referring to the experiences of other states, including Bihar and Haryana, he cautioned that prohibition could have unintended consequences, including the proliferation of spurious liquor and drugs. He stressed the need to examine the potential social and cultural implications of such a decision while also considering its impact on employment, tourism and economic activity.
Highlighting tourism as a primary economic activity in Ladakh, Kundra underlined the importance of consulting hotel associations, tour and travel operators and other industry representatives before arriving at a decision.
He stated that any decision on the matter should emerge from a broad-based consultative process involving religious organisations, hotel associations, tour and travel operators’ associations and other relevant stakeholders. He emphasised the need to balance social and cultural concerns with economic considerations.
The Chief Secretary suggested that the President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association convene a wider consultation with stakeholders to build consensus and explore a possible middle-ground solution.
He reiterated that the administration remained flexible in its approach to public policy and was open to considering a balanced solution through constructive dialogue and mutual understanding. He also assured that another meeting involving a wider group of stakeholders could be convened soon, if required.
The meeting underscored the need for continued engagement among religious organisations, community representatives, industry stakeholders and the administration to ensure a balanced and informed approach to the issue of liquor regulation in Ladakh.