New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party government in New Delhi has decided to extend the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 by releasing the license tenure for shops selling liquor, before it brings back the old excise regime,  source said.

The government said, the former excise policy, which was in place until November 16, 2021, will return for a period of six months starting on September 1, 2022, and the licences whose terms were set to expire on July 31 will now be valid for an additional month.

Liquor was sold by both government and private vendors under the previous government policy, which was converted to private vendors only under the current policy. However, following complaints by the BJP of the Opposition in Delhi in the nation's capital, the administration went back to its previous course of action.

After Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena suggested a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the policy, the administration took action. As of August 1, only government-run stores will be able to sell alcohol.

The government is considering extending the licences' terms for one more month, to August 31, 2022, while they were set to expire on July 31, 2022.

\The GNCTD has extended the existing licences for one month, till August 31, 2022, in order for the transition to take place. "Considering the tenure of existing licences, ending on July 31, 2022, and to retain the faith of the people at large in the administration," the GNCTD sources said.

"Seized of the fact that the Excise Policy 2021-22 is not achieving the desired objectives of bringing in greater revenues as envisaged and projected, and due to the fact that the said policy has been flagged with many issues that are under detailed examination/investigation by agencies, the Government of National Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has decided to revert to the old policy (previous until 16th November 2021) for a period of six months with effect from September," reads the statement.

Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi and the head of the excise department, asserted that although his party's government implemented a new excise policy to fight corruption, it was also used to intimidate state workers and retailers. He accused the BJP of doing this in order to promote the selling of fake and illicit alcohol.

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