Mobile app proposed to track liquor availability under new liquor policy

Officials said the app is being developed to provide real-time, store-wise information on the availability of different liquor brands across the city.

The draft of Delhi’s new excise policy is ready and is expected to be placed before the chief minister for discussion within a week, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The policy is likely to be put in the public domain for review and feedback by January, they added.

Mobile app proposed to track liquor availability under new liquor policy

A key feature of the proposed policy is the introduction of a mobile app to improve consumer convenience and address frequent complaints related to the non-availability of liquor brands and stock at retail outlets. Officials said the app is being developed to provide real-time, store-wise information on the availability of different liquor brands across the city.

“Users will be able to search for specific brands on the app, which will then display a list of liquor stores where the particular brand is available. In case the selected brand is not available, the system will generate a back-end demand request, which can be used by authorities to assess supply gaps and facilitate availability. The app will also reduce the need for consumers to visit multiple stores in search of a particular brand,” an official said.

The excise department is also exploring the possibility of adding a feature that would allow consumers to temporarily block or reserve a particular brand for pickup from a nearby store. However, officials clarified that this feature is still under discussion and its operational details are yet to be finalised. Another option being considered is advance booking of certain brands through the app, with physical collection to be done from the respective retail outlet.

The proposed application will also function as a data and monitoring tool for the government. Officials said back-end analytics will track consumer search patterns, particularly in the premium liquor segment. This data will help authorities identify repeated instances of non-availability and analyse whether shortages are demand-driven or caused by distribution-related issues. The aim, officials said, is to ensure that supply gaps are not artificially created.

In addition to monitoring availability, the app will be used to check unfair trade practices at the retail level. Officials said the government intends to analyse sales data and consumer search behaviour to assess whether certain liquor stores are promoting select brands disproportionately for higher margins.

“Such monitoring is expected to discourage brand pushing and help maintain fair competition among different labels,” the official said.

On the retail infrastructure side, the draft policy proposes rationalisation rather than expansion. Officials said the overall number of liquor stores in Delhi will not be increased. Instead, the policy suggests fixing a minimum distance between liquor shops in residential areas to address concerns related to clustering of outlets. Delhi currently has over 700 government-run liquor stores, and the emphasis of the new policy will be on better distribution and management of these existing outlets.

Liquor retailing in the capital will continue to remain under government control, with no proposal to allow the entry of private players, officials said. Currently, retail sales are handled by four government-run corporations. While the draft policy does not recommend privatisation, it allows for the possibility of restructuring.

“The number of corporations may be altered, if required, to improve operational efficiency. However, the wholesale business will continue to be handled by government-run corporations,” the official said.

There will be no change in age-related norms under the new policy. The legal drinking age in Delhi will remain 25 years, officials said, despite periodic demands from some quarters for a review of the age limit.

For the financial year 2025–26, the existing excise policy has already been extended and will remain in force until March 31 next year. The new policy is intended to replace the current regime, which came into effect in September 2022 after the withdrawal of the politically controversial 2021–22 excise policy. The earlier policy was scrapped following allegations of irregularities and corruption charges against senior leaders, prompting the government to revert to the older framework on an interim basis.

Officials said the upcoming policy seeks to introduce systemic improvements in transparency, availability and regulatory oversight, while maintaining government control over liquor retailing in the capital.