Kolkata: Private parties no longer need permits from cops

KOLKATA: The host of a private party will no longer be required to seek permission from the local police station to serve alcohol to his/her guests. Similarly, liquor shop owners will not be required to take cop permission every year to continue their business. The changes were effected by a recent state government notification.

There are around 5,000 off and on shops in the state that employ over 30,000 people.In Kolkata, there are 2,200 shops. An estimated 4,000-4,500 private parties are held every year.
The notification issued by state finance secretary HK Dwivedi stated that no clearance from police commissionerates will be required for renewing existing and regular excise licence every year. Earlier, every liquor shops had to go through police verification every year.
The finance department order read that the rules were amended to standardize and rationalize the process related to application for grant of NOC for excise licence by different police commissionerates in West Bengal. “Online requests shall be sent to commissionerates for NOC only once at the time of initial grant of new retail excise licences,” the notification stated. It added that in case of grant of regular licence — after such license has run temporarily for a period of six months — no NOC shall be required from the police as the case would already have been referred to the police prior to grant of temporary licence.
The order also gave a breather to those who organize private parties. “No police clearance will be required for grant of liquor-serving permits at parties hosted either by private individuals, or state or central governments, or diplomatic corps, or foreign consulates,” it added.
“This order will immensely benefit liquor shop owners. Apart from money deals, there used to be lot of harassment as well,” an off shop owner said. However, commenting on another major excise order of keeping offshops open till 11, an off shop owner pointed out that it had benefited only a few. Most shops have no other option, but to close by 10-10.30pm.