Bars Can Now Operate Till 3 Am: Everything You Need To Know About Delhi's New Liquor Policy

The L-7SP1 also called as the super premium license -- for international quality retail vends that shall offer "high-end walk-in experiences for consumers".

New Delhi: After a prolong lull in the entertainment business in the capital city owing to pandemic, the Delhi government has come up with a new excise policy to ramp up the city's revenue besides cracking down on the liquor mafia.

The new excise policy is going to allow walk-in experience for customers at alcohol shops, along with promoting microbreweries besides bars in hotels, clubs, and restaurants can now operate till 3 am. While unveiling the Excise Policy 2021-22 on Monday, it was noted Delhi is ranked 28th when it comes to the most visited city in the world and first in India by foreign visitors. Excise is a crucial source of revenue for the state.

What are the changes under the new rules?

1. Boost to private players: Under the new rules, the government will step out of retail liquor trade and giving way to closure of state-run shops while promoting private players in the national capital.

2. Elevated experience: According to the 2021-22 excise policy, every liquor outlet in the city will provide a walk-in experience to its customers who will have multiple choices of brands, and the entire selection and sale process will be completed within the vend premise. Such retail vends will be air-conditioned along with glass doors. Customers will not be allowed to crowd outside a vend or in the pavement and buy through the counter, it stated.

3. Beers Become Takeaway:  Now, people will also be able to fill their bottles or ''growlers'' with freshly brewed beer from any microbrewery in the city. The policy allows microbreweries to supply draught beer to bars. "Draught beer shall be allowed to be taken away in bottles or ''growlers''. Microbrewery shall also be allowed to supply to other bars and restaurants that have a license to serve liquor," the policy document stated.

However, wherever the draft beer will be served as take away, information and signage about the short shelf life of this beer will have to be given. And the expiry date should be clearly marked on the bottles.

4. Timings of bar: It will bring some cheers for those operating in bars inside hotels, restaurants, and clubs as the government has allowed them operate till 3 am except those licensees which have been given license to operate round-the-clock service of liquor. The new policy states that such establishments can serve liquor in open spaces such terrace and balcony.

 5 Security: Shops will be air conditioned, have glass doors and proper lighting. All shops must have CCTV cameras inside and outside and the shopkeeper must have at least 1 month of camera recording.

6. Increase in vends: The policy has introduced a new category of retail vend license -- the L-7SP1 also called as the super premium license -- for international quality retail vends that shall offer "high-end walk-in experiences for consumers", it said. The participation fee for the interested entity will be Rs 10 lakh, it stated. 

The number of retail liquor vends will be 849 in the city, including five super-premium retail vends that will have a minimum carpet area of 2,500 Sq.Ft "Super Premium Vends, which will set up a tasting room within the premise, can sell products only above Rs200 MRP for beer and above Rs1,000 Retail price for all other spirits, including but not limited to Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, Brandy, etc.

"Super Premium Vends will need to stock at least 50 imported (B10) liquor brands including wines (BECRS) etc. brands in the store," the policy document stated.  Domestic and foreign liquor retail outlets (L-7V) can be opened anywhere in any market mall, local shopping complex.

7. Licensing: Until now, the venue owner had to get a temporary license to serve liquor at a banquet hall, farm house, motel, party place, wedding, party or any event. Now, after paying the fee once a year through the new L-38 license, banquet halls, farm houses, motels will be able to serve local and foreign liquors at the parties held here. No temporary license will be required.

Until now, such establishments were required to avail temporary license in form of P-10, P-10A, P-11 & P-13 for parties and functions organised. 

What are steps taken to prevent tax evasion?

Special Excise Adhesive Labels, special inspection teams, a state-of-the-art lab are some of the steps planned by the Delhi government to check tax evasion, the conduct of retail vends, and spurious liquor.

According to the policy, the excise department has introduced Excise Adhesive Labels (EALs) with high-end security features manufactured by Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) to avoid tax evasion and plugging leakages in the supply chain.

The policy document, however, does not highlight home delivery of liquor which is part of Excise Rules and legal drinking age that was proposed to be reduced from 25 years to 21 years in parity with neighbouring cities.

(With inputs from PTI)