Can Alcohol Be Sold Online in India?

Can alcohol be delivered to your house in India?

Under Delhi Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2021, Indian and foreign liquor can be ordered via a mobile app or web portal, and can be directly delivered to your residence. Not all liquor vendors will be allowed to carry out home delivery.

Maharashtra Government Approval for Alcohol Home Delivery

Now, Maharashtra government has approved alcohol home delivery services to start so that there is no breaking of social distancing rules while also bringing in a steady cash flow. However, there are very strict rules and regulations in place to have any alcohol home delivery services.

Alcohol Home Delivery Regulations and Updates

Excise officials explained the new rule does not empower every liquor retailer to deliver alcohol at the consumer’s doorsteps. “Only a particular kind of license holder will be allowed to home deliver liquor. In Delhi, we have now allowed home delivery of liquor only to L-13 license holders,” said an official, who did not want to be named.

In the midst of COVID-19 restrictions and a city-wide lockdown, the Delhi government has made a significant announcement: permitting home delivery of both, Indian and foreign alcohol brands. This step comes as a measure to prevent huge crowds and long queues at liquor outlets seen frequently in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions.

To tackle this problem, states introduced a variety of measures, ranging from levying additional tax to allowing for home delivery of alcohol. For instance, Delhi introduced a ‘Special Corona Fee’ of 70% on top of retail alcohol prices. Karnataka too imposed an additional excise duty of 17-25% on all Indian-made liquor.

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