Now, Delhiites can vote to shut down liquor stores

Delhiites can now take a call on shutting down neighbourhood liquor shops if they create a nuisance in their areas by voting them out, the Delhi government said on Tuesday. As per the plan, the residents of a particular area can now vote out a liquor shop from their area if they face harassment because of the existence of the liquor shop in their area.

“Liquor shops, including those running legally, will face the public scrutiny if there are any problems to the residents of the area. The residents will now be free to approach their respective MLAs and district administration with their complaints against such liquor vends,” the AAP government said in its statement. 

In August last year, the government had announced that people would be empowered to shut existing neighbourhood vends if there were complaints of “nuisance”. 

In a statement, the Delhi government said that in a first, two liquor shops were voted for closure on October 16 in Rohini. It stated that thereafter, the MLA in coordination with the administration would call a meeting of the residents, RWAs and decide on the future of the liquor shop through a voting and hearing.

“Once the voting process and hearing is done, the local police and department of excise will submit a report for the closure of the particular shop,” an official said. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had last year said the process to decide on shutting a shop would be initiated once 10 per cent voters of a mohalla sabha submit a written complaint.