Excise department to issue one-day booze licences for private parties

PUNE: The excise department clarified on Monday that its decision to discontinue the one-day liquor licences would not apply to private parties and special events organised at banquet halls, open lawns and housing societies.

The clarification is likely to allay the fears of the party organizers, who were sceptical about obtaining these permits for the year-end Christmas-New Year festivities.

An excise official told TOI that the department had discontinued the issuance of daily club licences only to the restaurants that were misusing these permits — meant only for special occasions and festivals — to serve customers throughout the year. "However, we will continue to issue daily club permits for private parties and events, including New Year parties," he said.

A number of permissions from various authorities are required and many conditions need to be fulfilled for obtaining a permanent liquor licence, called the FL-III licence. Daily club licences are easier and quicker to obtain. "If those applying for permissions do not misuse the one-day permits, then they will be given the permit. Our squads and the police will conduct checks to find out if those applying for licences want the permits for one-day parties or to run restaurants illegally," he said.

Meanwhile, the industry sources are still confused. "Many have dropped plans to hold special events thinking they would not be issued a temporary club licence," a city-based restaurateur said.