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Delhi Govt Panel: determine minimum age of drinking to 21

LI NETWORK

The Delhi Government Panel has made a suggestion to to make 21 the permitted liquor drinking age and to reduce number of dry days. It was suggested by the government to reduce the number of dry days to 3 in a year.

A committee of Delhi Govt., which was constituted by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia , made this suggestion under the chairmanship of the excise commissioner in September.

It was said by the officials that this proposals purports to earn more revenue from sale of liquor and to stop malpractices like smuggling and tax evasion. It is among the largest source of revenue in Delhi which amounted to collection of around Rs.5,400 crore in 2019-20.

The ruling of Delhi HC stated that the Delhi Excise Act bars the sale of liquor to people below 25 years of age.

The petition was dismissed by the court stating that the Act does set 25 years as minimum age for drinking. Section 23 of the Act states that, “ no person or licensed vendor or his employee or agent shall sell or deliver any liquor to any person apparently under the age of 25 years, whether for consumption by self or others.”

The committee mentioned in its report, “the permitted drinking age may be fixed at 21 years in parity with neighbouring states like UP and Haryana.” Also, it was mentioned in the report that the reduction of number of dry days should be applied in UP, Haryana and Punjab.

It was also suggested by the committee to set up 3 retail liquor vends in all 272 municipal wards of the capital so that the liquor may be accessed equitably by all the residents of NCT Delhi. 24 vends should be available in the area coming under the New Delhi Municipal Council and 1 government corporation vend in each 70 assembly constituencies as well 6 retail vends at IGI Airport.

According to the committee, a new policy should also be brought for issuing retail licenses to departmental stores. The panels also suggested the govt. to revise the minimum sale criteria for brand registration of Indian Made Foreign liquor.