SC declines plea to keep private liquor vends in Delhi open till November 16

According to the new policy, the Delhi government required all existing liquor vends to close by September 30. For the period from October 1 till November 16, only government liquor vends will stay open to cater to the festive season rush.

The Supreme Court on Friday closed the doors on 260 private liquor vends in the Capital seeking a last-minute approval to remain operational beyond September 30, the cut-off date prescribed under the Delhi Government’s new excise Policy for private vends to shut shop for 46 days, before the new regime liquor regime kicks off from November 17.

Only 408 liquor vends of the 849 liquor stores in Delhi will be operational till November 16, as the city transitions to a new excise regime. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

According to the new policy, the Delhi government required all existing liquor vends to close by September 30. For the period from October 1 till November 16, only government liquor vends will stay open to cater to the festive season rush. The government will exit the retail sale of liquor in Delhi from November 17, and all its vends will shut.

In all, there are 849 liquor stores in Delhi of which more than 260 are privately-run, holding L7 and L10 licenses. Around 408 liquor vends in Delhi will be operational till November 17, as the city transitions to a new excise regime.

Demanding parity with government liquor vends to operate till November 16, the private liquor vends, mostly operating in malls, told the Supreme Court that there will be chaos at the government liquor vends during Diwali, and to avoid this, it will be “fair and just in the public interest” for private liquor vends to meet the Capital’s liquor demands.

The court was hearing separate appeals filed by Radinton Tradex Private Limited and one Harish Chauhan against interim orders passed by the Delhi high court, which refused to stall the roll-out of the new excise policy. The Delhi Liquor Traders Association approached the high court against the excise policy, a matter that is still under consideration.

The bench of Supreme Court justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar said, “We are not inclined to entertain these petitions” and asked, “What larger public interest will be served if the private liquor vends are allowed to operate till November 16”.

Senior advocates Vikas Singh and Sidharth Luthra appearing for the private liquor vends told the Court, “The rush outside government liquor vends is huge and this can be avoided if we are allowed to operate. Also, the state will earn revenue as we sell top quality liquor for which the customers in the Capital will go to neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.”

The Delhi Government appeared on caveat and was represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi who argued that the old policy was meant to expire on September 30 to ensure a smooth, seamless transfer to the new excise policy.

Singhvi said that the state had power to bring the new excise policy under the Delhi Excise Act 2009 and the corresponding Rules and this challenge was pending before the Delhi High Court.

The Delhi government had earlier stated that the new policy was introduced to usher in reforms to boost revenues, give a better experience to customers, and crack down on the liquor mafia.