What is the legal drinking age in Delhi, 21 or 25? Know liquor rules in bars, restaurants across capital

The Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital announced two years ago that they have passed the proposal to lower the drinking age in Delhi from 25 to 21, as a part of the new liquor excise policy in the national capital.

The AAP government had announced that by lowering the legal drinking age by four years there will be a boost to the sales of alcohol in the state and it will stop the black market sale of liquor in the capital, by hyping the business of private liquor stores.

While the legal drinking age was lowered by the AAP government in Delhi to 21, many liquor stores, restaurants, and bars refused to serve alcohol to people below the age of 25 and went as per the older rule, leaving the residents of Delhi confused.

What is the legal drinking age in Delhi?

Despite the rule change by the Aam Aadmi Party, the legal drinking age in Delhi remains 25, and not 21. This means that Delhi is one of the five states which has a legal drinking age set at the age of 25, including Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The legal drinking age in Delhi is 25 despite the new rule by the AAP government because it was introduced as part of the new excise policy in the capital, but the policy got scrapped before it could be implemented by the Delhi government.

After calling for a lower drinking age, the Delhi excise department issued a clarification, “It is clarified that as per the excise policy 2021-22, presently, the legal age of drinking in NCT of Delhi remains as 25 years. In case of any changes in respect of legal age of drinking in NCT of Delhi, the same shall be communicated separately to all concerned.”

This means that a person below the age of 25 cannot consume or purchase alcohol in any liquor store, bar, or restaurant in Delhi.

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