Delhi government gives 2-month extension to vends selling country liquor

Delhi government has extended licences of country liquor vends by two months till September 30 as fresh tenders are yet to be finalised, officials said on Monday. Meanwhile, vends selling Indian and Foreign liquor brands will remain shut despite the one month extension granted by Delhi government on Sunday as a nod from Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena is awaited, they said.

The excise department of Delhi government, in an order issued on Saturday, extended the licences of over 250 country liquor shops in the city.

"The extension is subject to payment of pro-rata fee for the extension period," said the order.

Tenders for country liquor licence were floated twice in recent months.

On the first occasion, the tender failed to attract adequate number of bidders while the excise department scrapped it the second time after finding out that bidders were "pooling" to keep the bids low, they added.