Three dry days a year in Delhi as part of new liquor plan

In 2022, only Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti will be observed as dry days, the order said

Delhi will now have only three dry days (when liquor stores are closed and bars and restaurants are not allowed to serve liquor) this year, down from the usual 21, according to an order issued by the excise department on Monday.

A liquor store undergoing renovation in November last year, At 21, the number of dry days in the Capital was among the highest across states and Union territories. A reduction in the number was a long-standing demand. (HT Photo)

In 2022, only Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti will be observed as dry days, the order said.

“In pursuance of the provisions of Rule 52 of Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, it is hereby ordered that – Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) – shall be observed as “dry day” in the national capital by all the licensees of the excise department and vends located in Delhi for the year 2022,” the order said.

At 21, the number of dry days in the Capital was among the highest across states and Union territories. A reduction in the number was a long-standing demand of liquor store owners, and bars and restaurants, and was expected to be part of the new excise policy that came into effect on October 1.

Apart from the three, the Delhi government may declare any other dry day, from time-to-time, said the order.

To be sure, the order added that restrictions on the sale of liquor on dry days will not apply for residents in hotels with a valid license.

HT reported on January 20 that though Delhi had a new liquor policy, two of the key promises made previously -- the lowering of the legal drinking age to 21, and a reduction in the number of dry days to 3 -- remained just that for now, promises.

In a press conference on March 22 last year, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the city’s excise minister, announced that Delhi would have a new excise regime which would slash legal age of drinking to 21, and reduce the number of dry days besides introducing various reforms. Many of the changes have been implemented, and now, with the reduction in number of dry says, people expect that there could be some movement on lowering the drinking age.

For this, the excise department has to issue separate order.

A senior government official said on condition of anonymity that reducing the legal drinking age has the necessary approvals from all authorities concerned, but might not happen now. “The legal age will be reduced only when the government formally notifies the change. It may be that it wants to put the matter on hold for sometime considering the political implications and the municipal elections are only a few months away,” the official said. The BJP and the Congress have opposed the new excise regime and held several protests against the new liquor policy.

Since the drinking age is lower in neighbouring cities, Delhi’s high legal drinking age forces young people to travel to neighbouring cities which allows drinking at 21. Delhi is now the only metropolitan city with the high drinking age – even in Mumbai, only hard liquor is barred for those under 25, while wine and beer is allowed at 21. In major global cities such as New York and London, the drinking age is 21 and 18 respectively.

Kabir Suri, the president of the National Restaurants Association of India welcomed the government’s move to reduce the number of dry days. “It will lead to increase in sale and also ensure that there is not many disruptions in supply of liquor. Additionally, the revenue of the government will also increase and the move will also check black marketing of liquor on the dry days.”

Suri demanded that the government should now also reduce the legal drinking age to 21.