new delhi the delhi government seems to be unmoved by the outcry among restaurateurs over the denial of new liquor licences holding that social drinking in limited amounts is an individual choice that comes with responsibility delhi government is for now sticking to its guns renewal of old licences will continue but no new liquor licence for restaurants and malls will be issuedthis policy is likely to continue till the end of the current fiscal at least also allowing serving of liquor in open areas like streets and public spaces will not be allowedsimilarly restaurants with terraces and verandahs too will be out of bounds under its partly notified excise policy 2016 the delhi government has decided to stop issuing liquor licences to new government and private liquor vends for the current fiscal another order for liquor licences for restaurants and malls was issued last month restaurants with private open areas connected to their covered area can be allowed to serve liquor subject to appropriate restrictions say excise officials when asked about the possibility of allowing access to terraces and verandahs for consuming liquor this however is hardly a relaxation it means that if any restaurant wants to serve liquor beyond the licensed bar and restaurant space it will have to apply for the p13 permit which is a onetime permit applicable to a specific day or stipulated hours of a day a fresh licence will be required for the subsequent day the p13 permit is usually taken by restaurants in case of events and is clearly unviable and impractical for daytoday operations making little distinction between drinking in public spaces and drinking in designated areas the delhi government says it is a menace which has to be stopped completely our government has started a drive to make people aware about this and is also taking strict action against offenders we are not prepared to allow drinking in open areas which are open to public view say excise officials deputy chief minister manish sisodia heads the department explaining the rationale behind not issuing new liquor licences to restaurants and malls the excise officials claimed it was assessed that the number of licences issued till date are sufficient to cater to the present demand for liquor they also dismiss the notion that this decision will have an impact on ease of doing business as the process of procurement and distribution of liquor is online and seamless the department pointed out that the retail licence for liquor once issued in delhi is automatically renewed every year unlike in many other states where is has be issued afresh every year earlier the excise duty was levied at the stage of sale of liquor by a wholesaler in delhi in a change in policy now it is levied at the first stage of import officials say this has not only plugged revenue leakage but also improved the availability of all brands of liquor delhi government data shows that there