Under its new excise policy, the Delhi government has issued 400 liquor vend licences to private players as on Monday. Government sources said they had received 430 applications from privately held liquor vends.
The government has generated over Rs 8,900 crore via auctions so far, and aims to issue another 400 licences by November 17. According to the new policy, the Delhi govt put out all 849 liquor vends for fresh licences.
Privately-owned liquor vends in Delhi shut down from October 1 for 45 days as the government wants exit the business of selling liquor via its undertaking. All private liquor vends were directed to close by September 30. The government will formally exit the liquor business when 600 vends run by it will be shut from November 16 night.
“Provisional licences have been given to around 350 shops. Over 200 brands have been registered with 10 wholesale licensees starting operations who have procured nine lakh litres of liquor of various brands so far,” sources said.
Officials said this will be the first time that all government-run liquor shops will be shut in the national capital, and the business will be completely transferred to private players. The new licence holders will start retail sale of liquor in the city from November 17.
Liquor vends under the new excise policy have already started placing orders for procurement of liquor from November 11, officials added.
The new excise policy aims at revolutionising the consumer experience by replacing the existing liquor vends in the nooks and corners of the city, with swanky liquor stores spread over at least 500 sq ft area with walk-in facility. It stipulates that the new liquor stores will have to be equipped with air-conditioning and CCTV cameras.
The bidding of 850 liquor vends has been divided into 32 zones under the new excise policy. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had earlier said the government expected a revenue of ₹10,000 crore after the implementation of the new policy.
Under the new policy, the licence fee has been increased substantially. While it was around Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh earlier, it is now around Rs 6 crore to Rs 6.5 crore per vend.
MRP Fixed for 184 Liquor Brands: Delhi Govt to HC
The Delhi government also told the Delhi High Court that till now, 200 liquor brands have been registered under the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 and MRP has been fixed for 184 of them. The AAP government told Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing pleas by several retail liquor traders, that 192 brands have already paid the registration fee under the new policy.
Out of the remaining eight, three have withdrawn and the process was ongoing for five, senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, told the court. The court directed that the Delhi government’s status report in the matter be placed on record and listed the case for further hearing on November 16.
The petitioners are successful bidders for licences for the operation of retail liquor vends and seek to declare the decision of the Delhi government to levy licence fees with effect from November 1, 2021, as illegal. On November 9, the high court had asked the Delhi government to inform it about the number of liquor brands where MRPs are fixed and those yet to be done under the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Several petitions are pending before the high court against the New Excise Policy on the ground that it is illegal, unfair, arbitrary, and violative of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009. In July, the court had refused to stay the new Excise Policy on one of the petitions which contended that the new regime would lead to a monopoly of the few big players.
(With PTI inputs)
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