DM West Tripura district cancels license of controversial “Happiest Hour” bar

The West Tripura district administration has cancelled the license of the controversial “Happiest Hour” restaurant-cum-bar, located on the rooftop of the Urban Development (UD) building, near Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala.

 On Tuesday, Dr. Vishal Kumar, Excise Collector and DM of West Tripura district, issued an order stating that the license holder, Mr. Gautam Debnath, had repeatedly violated the conditions of the excise law.

According to the administration, on the night of September 6, 2025, liquor was being served and consumed at the bar even after 11 PM, which is against the license conditions. Moreover, without permission, DJ and dance programs were organized late into the night, creating a nightclub-like atmosphere. CCTV footage confirmed these violations, said a press statement issued from the DM office.

The statement added that the license holder failed to submit the list of employees working at the bar and did not respond to the show-cause notice. This proved that he had willfully violated the rules and regulations.

The order of the DM stated that “As per Section 40(1)(c) of the Tripura Excise Act, 1987, License No. 97 issued in favor of Mr. Gautam Debnath is hereby cancelled with immediate effect.” Along with this, the license documents, liquor stock, records, and the CCTV footage NVR have been ordered to be submitted immediately to the District Excise Office.

Furthermore, the administration warned that non-compliance with these directives would invite legal action and strict measures under the Excise Act.