NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has announced the extension of the current excise policy for an additional three months, with no decision yet made on a new version.
In a circular issued by the Excise Department, it was stated that the validity of existing L-1/L-1F/L-2 licensees for the sale of registered liquor brands will be extended until June 30, 2025, at their current prices. L-1, L-1F, and L-2 licenses are for wholesale sales of Indian liquor, foreign liquor, and beer, respectively.
Licensees interested in taking advantage of this three-month extension period from April 1 to June 30 are required to deposit a proportionate three-month fee based on that period.
The current policy, also known as the old excise policy, was initially implemented in September 2022 after the cancellation of the reformative policy (2021-22) due to alleged irregularities. The old policy has been extended multiple times as the Delhi government has not introduced a new policy yet. A draft of the new policy for 2023-24 has been prepared by the Excise Department.
The old policy aimed to prevent a regulatory vacuum created by the sudden cancellation of the new excise policy for 2021-22 by the previous AAP government. The new policy, implemented on November 17, 2021, aimed to improve the liquor trade but ended on August 31, 2022. Under the policy, the Delhi government halted the retail sale of liquor.
Overall, the extension of the current excise policy provides stability for licensees until a new policy is introduced, ensuring continuity in the liquor trade in Delhi.
