Delhi allows home delivery of liquor; take-away of draught beer from micro-breweries also permitted

Delhiites can soon order home delivery of liquor through a mobile application or a website, with the city government permitting such facility by issuing a notification, which also allows take-away of draught beer in bottles or growlers from the micro-breweries in the national capital.

The rules, notified on Monday, permit the holders of the necessary licences to serve liquor in open spaces such as terraces, the courtyards of clubs, bars and restaurants, where customers will have the choice of getting alcohol in bottles.

However, it will be the sole responsibility of such establishments to ensure that no customer takes the served bottles out of the licensed premises.

The move will boost the government's revenue at a time when Delhi's economy is struggling in view of the Covid-induced lockdown that has been in place since April 19.

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According to the notification, the licensee will deliver liquor at the buyers' residences only if the orders are received through an app or a web portal.

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has welcomed the government's move to allow home delivery of liquor in the national capital.

"This has been our consistent demand for long. Last month also, we had requested the government to allow home-delivery of liquor in Delhi. There are many states that have implemented this and there has been no adverse effect coming out of it," CIABC director general Vinod Giri told PTI.

The notification issued by the Delhi finance department in the name of the Lieutenant Governor states that in hotels, no liquor will be served by the licensee at any place other than the room in which the person ordering it resides for the time being.

The government also permitted the sale of medicated wine in the city, which is usually prepared by using wine as a solvent to soak out the effective components of herbs.

"The licensee shall not sell any article covered by his licence except for medicinal purpose. The licensee shall not sell to any person at any one time any article covered by his licence in greater quantity than nine litres or 12 quart bottles, provided that sale in larger quantities may be made to persons holding a chemist's licence and to government and charitable dispensaries," the notification stated.

The government also introduced a licence in the form of L-37 for hotel management institutes to keep liquor for the purpose of training.

"The licence shall be issued to hotel management institutes or other teaching institutes recognised by the government. The liquor shall be used for teaching purpose only. The liquor shall be purchased from licensed retail vends only. The limit of liquor shall be decided by the excise commissioner," it said.