Bengaluru: Karnataka Resource Mobilisation Committee has recommended the introduction of online liquor sales in the state as part of broader excise reforms, a move that is likely to spark debate given past opposition. In a report on Karnataka’s excise policy, the committee described selling liquor online as a “complement to retail reforms”. It says digital transactions would create better traceability and strengthen the state’s alcohol tax framework. “A more open and efficiently regulated distribution framework would not only improve availability and reduce economic rents but would also strengthen legal market channels and improve fiscal performance of the alcohol tax system.” The panel emphasised that modernisation of the alcohol distribution system should include regulated online sales and home delivery as an extension of existing licenced retail channels. It noted that in a digital economy, the debate is shifting from where alcohol is sold to how it is accessed. “Experience from several Indian states and international jurisdictions shows that online sale of liquor, when tightly regulated, need not amount to deregulation,” the committee said. “Rather, it can function as a more transparent, traceable, and administratively manageable extension of the existing excise framework.” Listing advantages, the committee said online sales would generate a digital record of every transaction, improve monitoring and reduce opportunities for tax evasion and diversion. It also said such a system could ease congestion and public order issues around retail outlets, especially in urban areas, while reducing dependence on informal and unlicenced supply chains. The committee believes online platforms could potentially “support stronger age verification and quantity controls through identity checks at both the ordering and delivery stages,” making them more auditable compared to cash-based retail systems. However, the committee acknowledged potential risks, including underage access, increased convenience leading to higher consumption, and the role of unlicenced intermediaries. “For that reason, any move in this direction should be tightly designed,” the report states. “Online sale should be permitted only through licenced vendors or authorised platforms operating within the excise system. It should be integrated with registration, digital payment, age verification, delivery verification, quantity restrictions, and track-and-trace systems.” The recommendation revives a previously debated proposal that was rejected by excise minister RB Timmapur, who cited concerns over its social impact.
