'New Excise Policy will help minimise corruption, provide fair competition'

New Delhi: Delhi government Thursday told Delhi High Court that its new Excise Policy 2021-22 aims at minimizing corruption and providing fair competition in liquor trade and that all apprehensions against it were only fanciful.

The AAP government also said that there was full-scale assault on it on the issue and that a reply would be filed to make its stand clear.

Several petitions have been filed challenging the new Excise Policy before the high court which had earlier refused to pass any stay order.

When the fresh pleas came up for hearing on Thursday, a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice and sought reply from Delhi government and Central government.

It did not pass any order on staying the policy or extending the July 20 deadline for applying for tender under the policy.

When one of the counsel opposing the policy submitted that in the new policy which divides Delhi into 32 zones, only 16 players could be permitted in the market and would lead to monopoly, the bench said such control was for public welfare and not for those in liquor business.

Control is for public welfare and not for you to run your business. It is for public at large. It is not meant for you to run your business or put you in difficulty, the bench said.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Delhi government, submitted that there is a full-scale assault on us. I will put in a reply. The policy minimises corruption, gives fair competition."

Since the court heard the first challenge to the policy on July 12, eight petitions have come before different benches, Singhvi along with Delhi government standing counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi said adding that petitions are by persons well-versed in liquor business.

The court was hearing a fresh challenge to the New Excise Policy by Ashiana Towers and Promoters Pvt Ltd and Rajiv Motors Pvt. Ltd , which alleged that it is illegal, unfair, arbitrary and violative of the Delhi Excise Act of 2009.