No license for home delivery of liquor issued, clarifies Delhi govt

Hours after the Delhi government allowed home delivery of liquor, it clarified that no special licence has been issued in such regard. A fresh statement added that the existing licence has been amended.

New Delhi:The Delhi government on Tuesday clarified that it has not issued any licence for home delivery of liquor in the national capital through online or any mobile app, but only amended an existing provision in the excise law.

A fresh statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday evening said: "L-13 is an existing licence which has been amended. No licence for L-13 or home delivery licence has been issued."

Read:Delhi govt allows home delivery of liquor

Delhi government's clarification on this issue came hours after it was reported that under its new excise policy, the Arvind Kejriwal government has allowed home delivery of liquor in Delhi.

Contrary to the statement, the official notification issued by Delhi government regarding the new excise policy on May 31 read: "Retail vend of Indian liquor for and home delivery for L-13, retail vend of foreign liquor for home delivery to the holders of Licence in form L-13 (f)."

According to the Delhi Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2021, published in a gazette notification on Monday (May 31), "Holders of L-13 licence will be allowed to deliver liquor at the doorstep of people".

Sources in Delhi government told IANS that the state administration had made provision for online supply of liquor for L-13 category of vendors under its new excise policy 2021, but it has not issued any licence so far.

Read:66 private liquor shops re-open in Delhi today; owners to follow odd-even guideline

Earlier on Tuesday when IANS sought clarification on the matter, a Delhi government official said: "It is a slightly wrong interpretation of a rule change, the government will issue a statement in this regard."

On the basis of the official notification, it was widely reported that the Delhi government has permitted home delivery of Indian and foreign liquor as Covid-19 restrictions continue to be in place in the city.

IANS