Delhi Excise Department investigates disposal alternatives for 70 lakh bottles of unopened alcohol.

  • Sept. 15, 2022, 1:30 p.m.

NEW DELHI: The government’s excise department is devising ways to dispose of 70 lakh bottles of leftover liquor and to roll them over for sale under the current excise regime, officials said on Wednesday. The stock, also comprising wine and beer, is stored at warehouses as it could not be sold under Excise Policy 2021-22 that finally ended on August 31, they said.

"There are over 35 lakh bottles of various spirits brands registered under the current excise policy. Such brands can be sold through corporation vends, "a senior government officer said. The remaining stock belongs to brands that are yet to be registered under the prevailing excise policy. "It is being explored how to dispose of this stock of unregistered brands. One option is to register the brands concerned and sell them through the liquor vending machine. Another option is to destroy them, "the officer said.

Officials, however, said the government may allow the sale of the unregistered brand bottles instead of destroying them. They cited an example from 2019 wherein the excise department had prepared a proposal seeking permission to sell liquor bottles seized during raids at 25 per cent less than their actual price, after proper testing, instead of destroying them.

The Excise Policy 2021-22, which came into being on November 17, 2021, was withdrawn by the Delhi government following the recommendation of a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation.

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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