Delhi likely to extend existing excise policy after expiry on March 31

The Delhi government is likely to extend the excise regime extant for the Financial Year 2026-27, as it is still working on a new policy, official sources said on Friday.

In June last year, the Delhi government extended the duty-based excise policy, which has been in effect from the licensing year 2022-23, for the 2025-26 fiscal.

It was extended from July 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

"Now, a proposal has been sent by the excise department for further extension of the existing policy for yet another extension, to the government," a government source said.

The extension may come about after approval from the government.

 

The existing policy has been continuing since 2023-24, when a reformative policy (2021-22) allowing private players in retail liquor sale was scrapped by the then AAP government in July 2022 amid allegations of irregularities.

The existing policy, also referred to as the old excise regime, was then implemented in September 2022.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta last year instructed the officials to ready a draft proposal of the new excise policy.

The government aims to come up with a new policy that ensures the supply of quality liquor with transparency, officials said.

Under the existing policy, four Delhi government corporations operate retail liquor vends across the city.