New Delhi: The Delhi government has declared six dry days up to March end, prohibiting liquor sale from over 550 vends across the city. The sale of liquor will also be prohibited at bars and restaurants on Republic Day (January 26), according to a statement of the Delhi government on Monday.
Hotels, clubs and restaurants are not allowed to serve liquor on three national holidays -- Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti. The coming dry days are on Republic Day, Guru Ravidas Jayanti (February 5), Swami Dayananda Saraswati Jayanti (February 15), Maha Shivaratri (February 18), Holi (March 8), and Ram Navami (March 30), according to a list issued by the Excise department of the Delhi government.
The Delhi government issues a list of dry days every three months, said the statement. Under the currently operational old excise regime that replaced the Excise Policy 2021-22 on September 1 last year, there are 21 dry days.The number of dry days under the Excise Policy 2021-22 were reduced to three only, inviting sharp attack from the BJP on the ruling AAP over liquor vends opening on religious festivals.
In October 2022, the Delhi government had declared Dussehra, Diwali, Eid Milad-un-Nabi, and Valmiki Jayanti as dry days. The Delhi government withdrew its Excise Policy 2021-22 after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in July 2022 recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation. The Excise Policy 2021-22 was operational from November 17, 2021 to August 31, 2022.
