Serving more than 6 bottles of liquor in private party in Telangana may land you in trouble! Here’s how

Prohibition and Excise department officials said public should mandatorily obtain licenses for serving huge quantity of liquor at private parties held at hotels, restaurants and at residences.

Hyderabad: Recent instances of the excise department officials raiding private parties and booking cases for serving liquor without permission tend to put citizens in doubt whether a party where liquor is served, requires permission.

Prohibition and Excise department officials said public should mandatorily obtain licenses for serving huge quantity of liquor at private parties held at hotels, restaurants and at residences.

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However, for parties held at home where liquor is served in small quantities i.e., below six bottles, liquor permission is not needed.

“Any person holding a party where liquor is served and consumed on a large scale requires prior permission. An application should be submitted to the P&E department or the organiser would be prosecuted if caught during an inspection. Apart from this, the venue owner will also be booked,” said a senior official from the Excise and Prohibition Department.

The department has also asked event organisers to obtain prior permission if they are to serve alcohol at private functions. “Event managers mostly do obtain necessary permission from the excise department. We give the nod after inspecting the premises or venue,” the official said.

The Excise officials have been carrying out regular inspections at hotels, farm houses, and licensed establishments to check if any liquor is served or stock is stored illegally.

The department has also issued notices to pubs, bars and restaurants, retail liquor outlets, and microbreweries not to serve alcohol to minors. According to prohibition and excise rules, those below the age of 21 are considered minors, the official said.

For the permit, one has to shell out fee starting anywhere from Rs 10,000 per day if a social, family and get-together event is held in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits or periphery, and more if it is held in star hotels. If the event pertains to sports, commercial and entertainment category, the charges are much higher depending on the number of tickets.

Applicants can choose one of the two slots in a day – 11 am to 4 pm or 7 pm to 11 pm. “The entire procedure of applying and getting the event permits happens online. The documents that are needed can be uploaded through the portal. There is no involvement of agents,” officials said.

For permissions, visit https://excise.telangana.gov.in/, and upload necessary documents and payment. The permission is usually issued within 48 hours.

Excise department permission for liquor parties:

• Not needed for parties at home with small quantities of alcohol is served

• Above 6 bottles, permission needed

• Stipulated fee to be paid to Excise departm

• Higher charges for commercial and entertainment events

• Time slots 11 am to 4 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm

• Entire permission process online

• For permissions, https://excise.telangana.gov.in/

• Upload necessary documents and payment

• Permissions accorded after inspection