Delhi: According to sources, the current excise policy may be continued

According to reports, Delhi’s previous excise system, which went into effect on September 1 of last year, is likely to be prolonged. The current policy will end on September 30.

On Monday, the sources said that the Delhi government had not yet made the new policy public.

After Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in July of last year requested a CBI investigation into suspected anomalies in the execution of the former, the administration abandoned its new policy and went back to the old one.

On September 1, 2022, the current tax policy went into effect as a temporary measure while the Delhi government could design and execute a new policy. The Delhi government extended this program for an additional six months, till September 30, since it was originally set to expire on March 31.

According to Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association (NRAI), the excise licence holders for the hotel, club, and restaurant (HCR) category are having problems getting the police verification needed for the renewal of their licences.

He said that the police are not accepting applications for verification and that they cannot entertain persons, which is likely to have an impact on the renewal of excise licenses by September 30.

Each year, an HCR category licence must be renewed; this year, it must be done by September 30 since the current policy expires on that day.

The verification procedure must be handled by a government department or organization rather than by a person, according to the police. Additionally, they have said that they are unable to do many verifications in a short amount of time,” Singh added.

He did, however, assert that the excise agency had “assured” that the police verification would not prevent the renewal of HCR category licenses.

The problem of police verification would be resolved at the departmental level, according to department authorities, he added. Subsequent instructions will also be given.

The Delhi Police and the Excise Department have not yet responded to the situation.

The Excise Department made submitting police verification certificates essential for owners and business partners operating hotels, clubs, and restaurants with alcohol in August.

The agency took this action to make sure that everyone having an excise license was morally upright and had no criminal records.

In the city, there are more than 970 licences in the HCR category. According to bar proprietors, the police have requested verification from around 400 HCR category license holders.

Although the Delhi Police verifies the principal applicant’s character for an HCR category license, the excise department has asked for character checks on all directors and joint-ownership partners in cases where the department has awarded licenses.

Despite establishing a distinct branch for the purpose, the sources said that it may be difficult for police to verify the background of so many individuals before the deadline.