Liquor ban in Delhi not practical: Manish Sisodia

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said a ban on the sale of liquor in Delhi is not practical unless it is also banned across the nation.

Sisodia, however, said he supports a nation-wide ban on liquor sale.

"We don't have any intention of running the government on the strength of revenue generated by liquor. Even if we ban it in Delhi, people can get liquor from nearby states," he told the assembly.

He explained that the Delhi government generated more revenue not by opening more liquor shops but by curbing the leakages in revenue generated from the sale of liquor.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Vijender Gupta accused the Delhi government of opening more liquor shops in its tenure and said it was misleading people.

Sisodia said only six new government liquor shops were opened during the AAP government's tenure whereas several were closed as well.

"We are the first government giving power to locals to take any decision on opening or shutting liquor shops in their areas," Sisodia said.

The Delhi government has announced that in the current year, no new liquor shop with government license would be opened in the capital.

The government also said that if residents have problems with liquor shops in their area, they should give a written complaint with the signature of at least 10% voters of that particular area.

After that, the government will call a Mohalla Sabha (neighbourhood meeting) which will decide whether to shift or shut down the liquor shop.