Delhi HC seeks clarity on age checks for liquor home delivery scheme

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra said that there will be provisions in place such as Aadhaar number or other age proof. According to a new policy, the legal age to consume liquor in Delhi is 21 years.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday sought to know from the Delhi government how it would ensure that liquor is not home-delivered to a minor.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, said even if a person goes out to purchase alcohol, he will bring it home so the impact on children would be the same.

A bench comprising chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh asked the government the details of the process while hearing a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma challenging the government’s doorstep delivery of liquor scheme. “How will you verify the age of the purchaser? You must answer this query. You cannot say you will not answer this,” the court said.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra said that there will be provisions in place such as Aadhaar number or other age proof. According to a new policy, the legal age to consume liquor in Delhi is 21 years.

Verma’s plea contended that the new policy was introduced at a time when the national capital was “still grappling with the deadly second wave (of Covid-19) and acute shortage of medicines and vaccinations”, and also overlooked the impact of bringing alcohol into households with domestic and child abuse.

Defending the government’s home delivery of liquor scheme, Mehra said that the scheme existed even before the New Excise Policy 2021 came into effect and only its mode has changed.

“Before the amendment, the provision was that if an order came by email or fax, it could have been delivered. Now there is an amendment that says that instead of email or fax, on the mobile, or through an application on social media, it can be done. The method and mode have been changed. This (delivery of liquor) has been a part of the provision from the last 20-30 years and has existed even earlier,” Mehra argued.

The counsel representing BJP leader Verma said they have challenged the provision as there is no process of age surveillance in the scheme, and liquor could very well be delivered to an underage person at a public place.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, said even if a person goes out to purchase alcohol, he will bring it home so the impact on children would be the same.

The court asked for the Delhi government to place its reply on record and listed the plea for hearing on November 18.