Telangana: Liquor permit mandatory to serve more than 6 bottles at events

The Prohibition and Excise Department in Telangana has said that it is mandatory for event organisers including hosts of private parties to get a liquor licence in advance while hosting parties where large quantities of alcohol is served. Any failure to get the required permit will invite legal action against the organisers, the department has clarified.

The department, of late, has been carrying out raids at several private parties and has filed FIRs against organisers for serving liquor without the required permission.

Permit must for liquor above 6 bottles

Department officials said any individual hosting a party at a hotel, restaurant or residence where liquor is being served above six bottles will be required to get a licence from the department.

“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,” a senior official told Telangana Today.

However, the rules do not apply to individuals who are hosting parties at home where liquor is served in small quantities or below six bottles.

How to apply?

An organiser will have to pay around ₹10,000 per day if the event is held within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits and more if it is held in a star hotel. The charges are likely to be more and will depend on the number of tickets if the event is related to sports, entertainment or business.

Availing the permit does not involve middlemen as it can be directly applied online on excise.telangana.gov.in. However, applicants will have to choose between two slots in a day –11 am to 4 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm – to be able to serve liquor at their respective events.

“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,” the report quoted officials as saying.

The permission will be granted by excise officials after due inspection.