Delhi excise dept to issue liquor licenses from September 1

With the Delhi government deciding to revert back to the old excise policy regime, its excise department has also decided to issue wholesale Indian and foreign liquor vend licences from September 1, officials said on Tuesday.

The government had last week extended retail and wholesale licences issued under Excise Policy 2021-22 up to August 31.

The old excise regime will kick in from September 1, with government agencies taking back reins of retail liquor shops in the city from private players.

According to an excise department notice on Tuesday, the fee for wholesale licence for foreign brands of up to five spirits (whisky, rum, gin, brandy, vodka) will be Rs 15 lakh, with Rs 50,000 more for each additional spirit brand.

A licence fee of Rs 7 lakh will allow up to five foreign brands of wine, beer, alcopop, liqueur, and mixed alcoholic beverages, with Rs 50,000 for additional brands, the document said.

Fee for the wholesale licence of Indian whisky and rum of economy brands (MRP up to Rs 140) will be Rs 25 lakh per brand.

The licence fee for all other whisky will be Rs 25 lakh.

It will be Rs 15 lakh for beer, Rs 12 lakh for rum, gin, and vodka, Rs 8 lakh for brandy, and Rs 2 lakh for wine, alcopop, liqueur, and mixed alcoholic beverages, the department said.

The wholesale licences will be granted for the financial year 2022-23.

Brand registration will go on throughout the year by the excise department, it added.