Patil nod for stringent Excise Act

The historic legislation will have sweeping changes on the excise rules and regulations of the Capital. At present,Delhi follows the outdated Punjab Excise Act,1914. The new Delhi Excise Act will be notified in a month’s time.

The legislation lowers the minimum age at which people,including women,are allowed to serve liquor at restaurants from 25 to 22,while retaining the minimum drinking age at 25 years.

“Excise officials will have more powers to conduct searches,make seizures,detentions and arrests. It is a much stronger legislation than the toothless Punjab Excise Act,” a senior Excise official said.

The Delhi Excise department received a letter on Thursday from President Pratibha Patil’s office,confirming her approval of the legislation. “We will now draft the rules and send the Bill to the Lieutenant-Governor,after whose approval we will notify it and make it a law. This shouldn’t take more than a month,” said the Excise official. The bill was cleared after months of discussion by the Home ministry and the Law ministry. Union Home minister P Chidambaram himself had raised questions over the bill.

The legislation also proposes a fine of up to Rs 10,000 for unlawful sale and delivery of liquor to those under the age of 21.

Those who allow assembly of unsocial elements near a liquor shop and encourage drunkenness can be jailed up to six months and fined Rs 50,000. Under the Punjab Excise Act,1914,people who drink in the open can be issued a fine of only Rs 200. It is a bailable offence and those booked under this act can walk free without having to spend a single minute in the lock-up,if ever the police do arrest them,which is a rarity.

Finance minister A K Walia said: “We receive regular complaints from residents about people drinking in front of their houses and creating a ruckus. I am confident these strict measures will deter people from consuming alcohol at public places,” he said.