Gujarat’s Prohibition and Excise Department has replaced fingerprint-based verification with facial recognition technology at liquor permit counters from September 1. The move aims to speed up the verification process while strengthening monitoring of liquor distribution.
9,500 Permit Holders in Surat
Gujarat has around 55,000 valid liquor permit holders, including nearly 9,500 in Surat city and district. All permit holders must now complete facial verification before receiving their monthly liquor quota for September.
Under the new system, permit holders no longer need to visit government offices for verification. Instead, they can complete the process at the authorised liquor shop from where they regularly purchase their quota. The monthly quota will be issued only after successful facial verification.
The requirement applies to both new applicants and existing permit holders renewing their permits.
The new system is expected to particularly benefit elderly permit holders, many of whom faced difficulties with fingerprint authentication as their fingerprints changed with age.
Initial Disruption During Transition
The rollout of the facial recognition system also caused temporary disruption. Authorised liquor shops remained closed on August 31 and again on September 1 to facilitate the transition to the new system.
As August 31 was the final day for collecting the quota under the old system, some permit holders who were unaware of the closure missed their monthly quota, leading to complaints and resentment among affected permit holders.