New Delhi: Liquor shops across the national capital will remain open this Holi, with the Delhi government removing the festival from its list of notified ‘dry days’, a senior excise department official said on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported.
In an order issued in January this year, the Excise Department specified that only Republic Day, Maha Shivratri, Id-ul-Fitr, Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti will be observed as ‘dry days’ till the end of March.
“This Holi will not be a dry day and liquor shops will remain open. Closure of shops will be followed as per the order issued in January,” the official said.
In previous years, Holi was usually included in the list of dry days in the capital, leading to closure of liquor shops on the festival.
Delhi currently has about 750 liquor shops across the city. Since Holi is not included in this year’s restricted list, these outlets will operate as usual, subject to standard timings and regulations.
The January order also clarified that licensees “shall not be entitled to any compensation on account of any changes made to the above list.” He further stated that restrictions on the sale of spirits on dry days do not apply to hotels that serve liquor to their guests.
The move marks a shift from recent practice and comes as Delhi gears up to celebrate Holi with colours, gatherings and festivities across the city.
