Delhi High Court Disposes Plea For Publication Of New Excise Policy 2021 After Delhi Govt Undertakes To Upload Notification On Its Website Today

The Delhi High Court on Monday disposed of a plea filed by Delhi Liquor Traders' Association seeking directions to make public Delhi Government's new excise policy for the year 2021-22, which got approval in the month of June this year.

The direction was made by Justice Rekha Palli while taking on record the submissions made by Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi (appearing for the Delhi Government) that the notification and requisite documents relating to the policy will be uploaded on Delhi Govt's website today itself.

According to the Petitioner-association, it is important for the excise policy to be made available in public domain for all the stakeholders as well as public in general in order to prepare 'financially viable and attractive e-bids for tender.'

Advocate Arun Mohan appearing for the association had submitted thus:

"Each bidder should conduct its own study for responding to e-tender. All I'm asking that the policy is uploaded in public domain. How can they keep it in secret?"

Singhvi on the other hand had stated that a policy is an internal document and not a bidding tender.

"Are you not supposed to put it for everyone to know?" the Court had asked Singhvi.

Subsequently, the plea was disposed of taking on record the submission made by Dr. Singhvi that the requisite documents will be uploaded on Delhi Government's website in some hours by today.

According to the plea, the Delhi Government on June 28 had floated tender for inviting e-bids in respect of 32 zonal retail licenses for the year 2021-22 through an e-tendering process for the purpose of sale of Indian and Foreign Liquor in the national capital. It stated that the Delhi Government's policy is not made public yet or available publicly on government website.

Listing out the dates of the e bidding process, the plea states that that the last date for pre bid queries is July 5 whereas the pre bid meeting will be held on July 6 as per the schedule. Moreover, it also states that the submission of e bid is scheduled to be listed between July 12 to July 20.