New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Wednesday extended the ‘Old Excise policy’ for six months, and asked officials to soon prepare a new excise policy. As per the Old Excise Policy there will be 5 dry days during these 6 months on Mahavir Jayanti, Good Friday, Buddha Purnima, Eid al-Fitr & Eid al-Adha.

The government had allowed its four corporations to open liquor vends, replacing the private vendors

The Delhi government scrapped its Excise Policy 2021-22 and withdrew it on August 31 last year after a CBI probe was recommended by Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena into alleged irregularities in its implementation.

Returning back to the old excise regime, the government had allowed its four corporations to open liquor vends, replacing the private vendors under the Excise Policy 2021-22.

A three-member committee was formed by the government to come out with a fresh excise policy while the corporations were given the responsibility to open and run liquor vends in the city for six months from September 1 last year. However, the committee headed by the principal secretary (finance) is yet to submit its report to the government.

Currently, there are 570 retail liquor stores and more than 950 hotels, restaurants and clubs having the license to serve liquor in the city.