The existing excise regime, implemented on September 1 last year in Delhi, has been extended for another six months. Under the new policy, only government-owned agencies will run liquor shops.
The old excise regime was set to expire on September 30.
The government scrapped its new policy and returned to the old one after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in July last year recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the implementation of the former.
The existing excise policy was implemented as a stopgap arrangement till a new policy was prepared and implemented by the Delhi government.
This policy was scheduled to expire on March 31, 2023, but the Delhi government extended it for six months until September 30.
In August, the excise department made it mandatory for proprietors and firm partners running hotels, clubs and restaurants having bars to submit their police verification certificates.
The step was taken by the department to ensure that a person holding the excise licence was of good moral character and did not have any criminal record.
There are over 970 HCR category licensees in the city. Around 400 HCR category licensees have approached the police for verification, bar owners told news agency PTI.
Though the character verification of the main applicant seeking an HCR category licence is done by the Delhi Police, the excise department had sought verification of all directors and partners of joint ownership where licences were issued by it.
