Leh (Ladakh) [India], October 28 (ANI): The Union Territory Administration of Ladakh rebutted statements made by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on the Ladakh excise policy, terming them “false”, “baseless” and “totally imaginary”, and cautioned him to refrain from “rumour mongering”.
In an official press release, the administration took “serious note” of Wangchuk’s remarks at a press conference held on October 22 at Ladakh Bhavan in New Delhi.
Wangchuk had said, “The Lieutenant Governor is acting arbitrarily. Even now, as I am speaking to you today, around 500 to 1,000 women are staging a protest there. Why? They are saying that alcohol is being forcibly promoted in Ladakh. You know, about two months ago, a decision was taken to open liquor shops everywhere in Ladakh. People submitted written representations repeatedly, and protests were held. Despite all this, bars are being forcibly opened in every street and neighbourhood, even near schools.”
Countering the claim, the administration said there is only one liquor shop in the entire Ladakh. “The statement of Mr Wangchuk that ‘Ladakh mein sharab ko zabardasti badhaya ja raha hai’ (Alcohol is being forcibly promoted in Ladakh) is totally false and misleading,” it said.
On the opening of liquor stores, the administration said the new Excise Policy 2026-27 was notified vide S.O. 198 dated June 1, 2026. After receiving feedback and suggestions from people and social organisations, the Lieutenant Governor, “respecting their sentiments”, rolled back the policy on August 26, 2026.
The proposal for opening wine shops under the new policy was withdrawn, and the auction notice issued under it was cancelled. The old Excise Policy 2025-26, notified vide S.O. 35 dated April 4, 2025, was restored through S.O. 256 dated August 26, 2026, and remains in force.
Under the old policy, only two liquor shops in Leh were permitted, in Ward No. 4 and Ward No. 6. In Ward No. 6, one wine shop became operational after an auction on October 14, 2026, while in Ward No. 4, no bid was received and no shop was opened. Consequently, only one liquor shop is operational in the entire Ladakh, compared with two earlier.
On bars, the administration said 50 retail vends of liquor in a bar with a restaurant are currently operational across the UT: 38 in Leh, seven in Nubra, three in Zanskar and two in Changthang. Two beer bars are also operational in Leh. Besides this, nine hotels in Leh hold liquor licences, of which four applied and were issued licences this year. One hotel in Nubra also applied and got a licence this year.
Licences are issued only to those who apply as per norms and in accordance with the “distance criteria” from highways, religious and educational institutions, which has also been adopted for hotel licences.
“Hence, Mr Wangchuk’s claim of opening ‘Bars in every street, locality and around schools’ also holds no ground,” the administration said.
“These official records contradict Mr Wangchuk’s deliberate campaign of falsehood and misinformation that ‘liquor shops are being opened in every nook and corner of Ladakh’. Clearly, the averments made by Mr Wangchuk are false, baseless and to ‘create unnecessary public alarm’,” the release said.
The administration advised Wangchuk “to take a brief pause from such statements and verify the facts, from official sources, before feeding completely false and imaginary claims to the national media and the people at large.” (ANI)
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