Guwahati, Assam’s largest city and commercial hub, hosts a substantial network of licensed liquor retailers. According to a written reply by Assam Excise Minister Atul Bora in the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 29 (in response to a question from BJP legislator Pradyut Bordoloi), there are 354 licensed IMFL OFF shops (takeaway/retail wine shops) and 298 IMFL ON shops and bars operating in the Guwahati city area.
IMFL refers to Indian Made Foreign Liquor. OFF licences cover retail sale for off-premises consumption, while ON licences cover hotels, restaurants, bars, and similar establishments serving liquor for on-premises consumption.
Operating Hours
The Minister detailed prescribed timings:
- IMFL OFF shops: 11 am to 11 pm in municipal areas; 11 am to 10 pm in rural areas.
- IMFL ON shops: Generally 11 am to 10 pm. Establishments with late-closing licences may operate until 12:30 am; 4-star hotels until 2 am; and 5-star hotels 24 hours.
- Three-star and four-star hotels with composite licences may seek permission to operate 24 hours.
These align with broader Assam Excise Department norms that have historically set core hours around 11 am–10 pm for many categories, with extensions available under specific licences.
Revenue Contribution
Licensed establishments in Guwahati have contributed significantly to the state coffers. The total excise revenue collected from these outlets over the last three fiscal years stood at ₹28,16,90,75,354. Breakdown:
- 2025-26: ₹10,72,57,11,170
- 2024-25: ₹9,90,40,54,601
- 2023-24: ₹7,53,93,09,583
Statewide, the Excise Department collected over ₹23,108 crore (including VAT) as ‘excise revenue’ across Assam in the last five financial years. Year-wise figures cited:
- 2021-22: ₹3,047.98 crore
- 2022-23: ₹3,980.06 crore
- 2023-24: ₹4,798.73 crore
- 2024-25: ₹5,292.42 crore
- 2025-26: ₹5,989.25 crore
These numbers reflect steady growth in excise collections, consistent with broader trends in Assam’s state excise revenue in recent years.
Enforcement and Compliance
Regular inspections continue to enforce licence conditions, including strict adherence to closing times. Action has been taken against bars and pubs found to be operating until 2–3 am. In Dispur LAC alone, eight cases were registered under relevant sections of the Assam Excise Act in the last three years.
In a separate reply to AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury, the Minister reiterated the department’s focus on compliance.
Recent Excise Reforms
Assam has been actively reforming its excise framework. In mid-2026, the government notified the Assam Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2026. Key changes include mandatory Minimum Guaranteed Revenue (MGR) payments by licence holders of IMFL, beer, and country liquor wholesale and retail OFF shops (collected in quarterly instalments), stricter distance norms between retail outlets, tighter rules on licence shifting/relocation, and packaging/serving requirements (e.g., sealed bottles of minimum sizes for OFF sales). The reforms also aim to support indigenous heritage alcoholic beverages.
Statewide, Assam has roughly 1,200–1,800+ foreign liquor/wine shops (figures vary slightly by source and date) and hundreds of ON establishments/bars, with Guwahati accounting for a notable share.