Half of city's liquor licensees apply for renewal

Officials also said that 40% of the capital's 713 government-run retail liquor stores have also submitted renewal applications

- Alok KN Mishra

NEW DELHI: Around half of Delhi's hotels, clubs and restaurants with excise licenses to serve liquor applied for renewals within 24 hours of the excise department issuing a circular mandating fresh licenses, two officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.

The officials cited above added that approximately 40% of Delhi's 713 government-run retail liquor stores have also submitted renewal applications. They clarified there is currently no threat of a disruption in liquor supply in the Capital.

On Friday, the Delhi government extended the existing liquor policy till March 2026 — one of the longest such extensions since the controversial 2021-22 excise regime was scrapped in September 2022 over alleged irregularities.