Govt response sought on plea against home delivery of liquor

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from the Delhi government on West Delhi MP (BJP) Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma's challenge to the home delivery of liquor under the new Excise Policy of 2021. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice on the petition and listed it for further hearing on September 20.

The court also adjourned till August 27 other petitions challenging the new excise policy and granted time to the Delhi government to bring on record its counter-affidavit, which its counsel Santosh Tripathi said has been filed.

At least seven petitions are pending before the court against the New Excise Policy. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, informed the court that Rs 10,000 crore has been earned by Delhi amid the ongoing pandemic, pursuant to the new excise policy. Such revenue is higher than most states in India, Singhvi said.

In his petition, which challenges Rule 66(6) of the Delhi Excise (Amendment) Rules of 2021, and is filed through advocate Balaji Srinivasan, Verma has submitted that the new policy was introduced at a time when the national capital was still grappling with the deadly second wave (of COVID) and acute shortage of medicines and vaccinations, and also overlooked the impact of bringing alcohol into households on domestic and child abuse.

The 2021 Amendment undermines the ban on the consumption of liquor in public places by making it possible to deliver alcohol to public places... The Rules enable the possibility of delivery of alcohol to hospitals and schools. It lacks any consideration to the safety of those delivering the liquor, the petition reads. It is also contended that home delivery of liquor was against Article 47 of the Constitution.