The Government of Karnataka has officially notified the Karnataka Excise (Manufacture of Wine) (Amendment) Rules, 2025, centralizing powers related to wine manufacturing under the Excise Commissioner instead of district-level Deputy Commissioners.
This change comes into force with the final publication of the notification dated October 14, 2025, following a 15-day public consultation period which ended with no objections or suggestions received.
📜 Background
The original Karnataka Excise (Manufacture of Wine) Rules, 2008 governed the procedures for establishing and operating wineries in the state. Until now, much of the authority rested with the Deputy Commissioner of the respective district. The 2025 amendment marks a significant administrative shift aimed at simplifying and streamlining the licensing process by vesting these powers in the Excise Commissioner.
🔧 Key Amendments
✅ Power Shift to Excise Commissioner
Across multiple rules (Rules 3 to 14), all references to “Deputy Commissioner” are replaced with “Excise Commissioner” or “Deputy Commissioner of Excise”, wherever contextually appropriate.
🗂️ Affected Sections and Forms:
- Rule 3, 6 to 12, and 14: Licensing, processing, and regulation duties now lie with the Excise Commissioner.
- Form F.W.1, F.W.1-A & F.W.2: Updated to reflect the new authority, replacing “Deputy Commissioner” with “Excise Commissioner, Karnataka, Bengaluru”.
📌 Rule 11 Specific Change:
In Rule 11, the wording is updated to “Deputy Commissioner of Excise” to clarify the jurisdiction and designation involved in licensing and inspections.
⚙️ Objectives of the Amendment
- ✅ Centralized Oversight: Ensures more uniform decision-making across districts.
- ✅ Streamlined Processes: Reduces administrative delays in the approval of winery applications.
- ✅ Ease of Doing Business: Supports Karnataka’s efforts to attract more investments in the wine and viticulture sector.
- ✅ Policy Clarity: Aligns excise rules with a more centralized licensing framework, minimizing ambiguity.
🏭 Impact on Stakeholders
| Stakeholder | Impact |
| Wineries/Applicants | Faster, single-window decision-making from state-level Excise office. |
| District DC Offices | Relieved of wine manufacturing responsibilities. |
| Excise Department | Gains direct control and responsibility for wine manufacturing permissions and monitoring. |
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
Wineries and wine entrepreneurs in Karnataka will now need to direct all applications, queries, and regulatory filings to the Excise Commissioner in Bengaluru, as per the updated rules and forms.
⚖️ Legal Basis
The amendment is made under the powers granted by Section 71 of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and follows the due process of public consultation as notified on August 13, 2025, in Gazette Notification No. FD 11 PES 2024.