Draw of lots draws surprises

Hyderabad: A trio of friends filed more than 100 applications for liquor shop licenses in Sangareddy district. The friends secured tenders for three shops in the  draw of lots conducted for 2,620 wine shops across the state on Monday.

In Nalgonda, Khammam, and Mahabubnagar districts, some influential leaders and businessmen of the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh succeeded in securing licences in the auction. In some districts, liquor syndicates were formed, and they secured the licences again by paying hefty amount to the winners in the draw of lots.

The new licencees were seen celebrating by bursting crackers in front of the auction centers in the district headquarters. The liquor traders were also exchanging greetings with others and distributing sweets at the auction centers. District Collectors were entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the draws in the presence of the applicants. Police forces were deployed to prevent any law and order problem in view of the possibility of political clashes at the venue of the liquor shop auctions.

Officials said that K Vamsidhar Reddy and his friends Harish and Murali had jointly submitted the applications.

The trio were allotted shops Numbers 32, 34 and 40 in Patancheru, where liquor sales are high in the SangaReddy district.

The State Prohibition and Excise Department had received 95,436 applications for liquor shop licences in Telangana. The total number of applications received this year was 37,000 less compared to the 2023 auctions.

In Hyderabad, district Collector Hari Chandana said that out of 3,022 applications received in Secunderabad division, 97 liquor shops have been allotted through the gazette serial number. Similarly, out of 3,201 applications received in Hyderabad division, 82 liquor shops have been allotted through draw of lots.

A total of 6,223 applications were received for 179 liquor shops in Hyderabad district. She said that the allocation of liquor shops was finalized by drawing tokens in their presence. The tokens used for the draw were shown to everyone.

The entire process of the draw of lots was filmed in the presence of many of the applicants.