Home delivery of liquor in Maharashtra to start from Friday

The Maharashtra state excise department has ordered the home delivery of liquor in the state and it will start from May 15.

Mumbai:The home delivery of liquor in Maharashtra will start from May 15, an order issued by the state excise department on Wednesday said.

The state government had on Tuesday allowed home delivery of liquor to avoid crowding at shops amid the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

However, as the shop owners had sought some more time for preparation, the service will start from Friday, the government resolution (GR) issued by the state excise department said.

"The home delivery of liquor will commence from Friday across the state, where the shops are already opened in the non-containment zones. One shop owner cannot appoint more than 10 delivery persons and one delivery person cannot carry more than 24 bottles of permitted liquor in one time," the order said.

Providing relief to the consumers, the government also ordered that the shop owners not to charge over and above the MRP printed on the bottle.

The GR also made it clear that the online sale of liquor is an unwritten contract between the buyer and the seller, hence the state will not be party to any possible dispute between them.

"Despite the online sale, the liquor shops will have to adhere to the laid-down norms of physical distancing and sanitisation of its staff," the order said.

The government allowed home delivery of liquor in the wake of crowding outside liquor outlets when they opened early last week following relaxations in lockdown norms.

(PTI)