Kerala Excise
| Kerala Excise കേരള എക്സ്സൈസ് | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | K.E |
| Motto | ജാഗരൂഗ്, ബലിഗ്രാഹ്
"Jagaroog Baligrah" |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | November 30, 1998 |
| Annual budget | ₹566.89 crore (US$59 million)(2026–27, revised) [1][2] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Kerala, India |
 | |
| Jurisdiction of Kerala Excise | |
| Size | 38863 km2 (15005 sq mi) |
| Population | 34,630,192 |
| Legal jurisdiction | State of Kerala |
| Operational structure | |
| Overseen by | Kerala Excise Department, Government of Kerala |
| Headquarters | Excise Commissionerate, Vikas Bhavan P.O Nandhavanam], Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695033 |
 Map of Kerala Excise Department's jurisdiction. The map on left shows Kerala in India and on right shows the State with Thiruvananthapuram district in red | |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Taxes Department, Government of Kerala |
| Units | List of units:
|
| Website | |
| https://www.keralaexcise.gov.in/ KeralaExcise | |
The Kerala State Excise is the law enforcement agency for excise and narcotics in state of Kerala, India. Kerala Excise has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital, and is headed by the Excise Commissioner.[3] The department administers laws related to liquor, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, medicinal preparations containing alcohol and narcotics. The current commissioner of Excise is Seeram Sambasiva Rao IAS.[4] The Excise Commissioner reports to the Excise Minister of Kerala, who serves as the chief executive of the department. The Kerala Excise Academy and Research Centre, Thrissur trains the excise officers and that runs full-term basic courses for Excise Inspectors, Excise Preventive Officers, Civil Excise Officers, Women Civil Excise Officers and Excise Drivers.[5] Established under the provisions of the Kerala Abkari Act, 1077 (Act 6 of 1077), the department plays a crucial role in regulating and controlling the production, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic beverages and other intoxicating substances and the enforcement of the NDPS Act within the state of Kerala. It is one of the Government of Kerala's three major revenue-collecting departments.[6]
Duties
[edit]The principal duties of the department are protection, augmentation and collection of excise revenue and enforcement of the above acts and various rules made there under. The department prevents leakage of revenue, and exerts effective control on the abuse of liquor and intoxicating drugs. The duties of the department are broadly classified as collection of revenue, enforcement activity to prevent illicit liquor production, sale and trafficking and Campaign against alcoholism. Liquor includes spirits of wine, arrack, spirits, wine, toddy, beer and all liquid consisting of or containing alcohol. Individual has no fundamental right over the manufacture and trade of liquor. Absolute right on liquor is vested with the state. The government formulates Abkari policy of the state every year. The policy formulated by the state government is implemented by the Excise Department.[7]
Organizational structure
[edit]The Kerala Excise Department is headed by the Excise Commissioner, an IAS officer holding a position equivalent to that of a Secretary to Government.[8] The Excise Commissioner is assisted by Additional Excise Commissioners in charge of administration and enforcement, as well as the Excise Vigilance Officer, who oversees vigilance functions. The Excise Commissioner reports to the Minister for Excise and the Additional Chief Secretary (Taxes) at the government level. The post was previously held by Indian Police Service (IPS) officers until a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order transferred it to the IAS cadre[9][10]
Joint Excise Commissioners head the zonal offices and various specialized units of the department, including the Excise Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, Excise Crime Branch, Internal Audit Wing, Awareness Wing, State Excise Academy, and Excise Crime Records Bureau.[11]
For the convenience of administration, the State of Kerala is divided into three zones headed by joint excise commissioners.
- South Zone with headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram
- Central Zone with headquarters at Ernakulam
- North Zone with he quarters at Kozhikode
Fourteen excise divisions come under the above three zones which are coterminous with the 14 revenue districts of the state, headed by deputy excise commissioners. In each division there is an assistant excise commissioner for supervision of enforcement activities. Each division is further divided into excise circles, which are co-terminus to the revenue taluk of the state under the control of circle inspectors of Excise. Each circle comprises one or more excise ranges, which are the micro level unit of the Excise Department and the primary enforcement unit headed by excise inspectors.[11][12]
Hierarchy
[edit]Officers
[edit]- Excise Commissioner
- Additional Excise Commissioner
- Joint Excise Commissioner
- Deputy Excise Commissioner
- Assistant Excise Commissioner
- Excise Circle Inspector
- Excise Inspector
- Assistant Excise Inspector
- Preventive Officer
- Civil Excise Officer
- Excise Driver
Ranks and insignia
[edit]| Gazetted Officers[14] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia | No insignia | No insignia | .png){kind=icon} |
.png){kind=icon} |
.png){kind=icon} |
.png){kind=icon} |
| Rank | Excise Commissioner
(IAS Ex Cadre) |
Additional Excise Commissioner
(Ex Cadre) |
Joint Excise Commissioner | Deputy Excise Commissioner | Assistant Excise Commissioner | Excise Circle Inspector |
| Abbreviation | EC | Addl. EC | JEC | DEC | AEC | ECI |
| Non-Gazetted Officers[14] | ||||||
| Insignia | .png){kind=icon} |
.png){kind=icon} |
 |
No insignia | No insignia | |
| Rank | Excise Inspector | Assistant Excise Inspector | Preventive Officer | Civil Excise Officer | Excise Driver | |
| Abbreviation | EI | AEI | PO | CEO | Dvr. | |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Revised Demands for Grants 2026–27 (PDF) (Report). Government of Kerala. p. 20–21. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ https://budget.kerala.gov.in/portal/home
- ↑ Service, Express News (7 March 2026). "CAT: Kerala Excise commissioner post only for IAS officers". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Daily, Keralakaumudi. "Govt appoints Sreeram Sambasiva Rao as excise commissioner". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "Excise Offices in Kozhikkode". Excise Department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015.
- ↑ "Source of Income". Kerala Budget. Finance Department, Government of Kerala. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ "Acts and Rules". Excise Department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
- ↑ Service, Express News (7 March 2026). "CAT: Kerala Excise commissioner post only for IAS officers". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Kerala govt appoints IAS officer through ex-cadre post, leaving excise cadre post vacant". The Times of India. 3 June 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ S, Shan A. (14 March 2026). "ADGP Ajith Kumar removed as excise commissioner over recent CAT ruling". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- 1 2 "About the Department". Government of Kerala. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011.
- ↑ "Preventive Officers". Excise Department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015.
- ↑ https://keralaexcise.gov.in/en/hiearchy/
- 1 2 "Kerala Excise and Prohibition Service Rules" (PDF).