Renew licences under existing excise policy: Govt

New Delhi: With the new excise policy yet to be finalised, Delhi govt has issued orders to renew liquor licences for the ‘hotel, club and restaurant' category under the existing policy till the end of the 2026-27 financial year, officials said on Wednesday.In June last year, govt extended the duty-based excise policy, which had been in effect from the licensing year 2022-23, for the 2025-26 fiscal.
This time, the excise department has increased the licence fee by 10% for L-17/L-17F, L-18/L-18F, L-19/L-19F and L-20/L-20F, under the hotel, club and restaurant category."The department reserves the right to review the licence fee and, in case it is increased, the licensee is liable to pay the increased amount within the stipulated time period, failing which the department has the right to stop the transport permit of the unit or take any other suitable action," the order stated.According to officials, the department also plans to soon issue similar orders for the L-6 and L-7 categories of retail liquor shop licences.The current policy has been in force in Delhi since Sept 2022 after a 2021-22 regime drafted by the then AAP govt was scrapped amid allegations of irregularities. The new policy, initially expected in late 2022, has been delayed due to investigations into the previous one, 2024 Lok Sabha elections and Delhi assembly polls in 2025.Following a CBI probe and arrests of several AAP members, including then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, govt reverted to the old policy.This policy was meant to be a temporary arrangement but has since been repeatedly extended, retaining flaws such as pushing of some brands, cheap imports and poor retail experience, experts pointed out.Soon after BJP govt came to office in Delhi in Feb 2025, chief minister Rekha Gupta instructed officials to start the process of drafting a new policy.A draft policy, which seeks to modernise and expand state-run vends, by opening larger, better-stocked stores in shopping complexes, has been prepared. Under the draft, which awaits cabinet approval, the existing structure of four govt corporations operating liquor shops will continue.