New Delhi
With an aim to check nuisance in posh areas of New Delhi such as Hauz Khas village, Defense Colony, Khan Market etc, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has issued a diktat asking bars, pubs and restro-bars not to play recorded songs, music.
In stringent warning, the Delhi government said establishments, which would be found violating norms, will be levied strict action. The directions were issued as per the 2010 excise rules. These rules state that restaurants serving alcohol are allowed to hold only “live singing or playing of instruments” by professionals.
The stringent move came after local residents lodged complaints with the Delhi excise department about the “nuisance” created by several restro-bars in the city. According to reports, there are thousands of restro-bars and most of them usually play recorded songs or music in their premises to entertain their customers and attract people in the national capital. “L-17 (restaurants which serve food and alcohol) are only permitted for live singing and playing of instruments by professionals in their premises,” Delhi Excise Commissioner Amjad Tak.
According to directions by department, Rule 53 (4) of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 states that the L-17 licensee is allowed only for live singing/playing of instruments by professionals. In Delhi, there is no provision of a separate licence for pubs. The Licence-17 is issued by the Excise Department to those restaurants wanting to serve alcohol to their customers.
According to the department, it received Rs 305.85-crore excise revenue in April this year while in the same month last year, the revenue was Rs 291.01 crore. The department has set a target of Rs 5,200 crore from excise revenue in the current financial year. In the last financial year, it collected Rs 4,551.57 crore as excise revenue.
