People require a ‘Special Licence’ now to serve liquor to guests, visitors and participants in wedding halls, convention centres, household functions, festivals, celebrations and other similar events.
Recently, in Tamil Nadu, the government amended the Liquor Licence and Permit Rule, 1981, and added a special licencing requirement for serving alcohol.
What are the annual charges for a ‘Special Licence’?
According to a newly published state government order, annual fees for the delivery of alcohol in commercial locations, such as convention centres, wedding venues, sports stadiums, etc., are Rs 1,000,000 in areas under the municipal corporation, Rs 75,000 in municipality areas, and Rs 50,000 in other locations. Similar to this, licences can be obtained on a daily basis for 11,000 per day in areas covered by municipal corporations, 7,500 in municipalities, and 5,000 per day in other locations.
Notably, these licences are also necessary to sell alcohol to attendees at events held in venues other than businesses, such as house parties and other social gatherings.
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For a single use of the licence, residents of the municipal corporation's jurisdiction must pay Rs 11,000. Similar licences costing Rs 7,500 will be needed for events held in municipal areas to serve alcohol once, and 5,000 will be needed for licences in other locations.
The government notification stated that in order to receive the special licence, a no objection certificate from the superintendent of police in districts and the commissioner of police in corporations is needed.
“The licensee shall obtain his supplies from the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited Wholesale Depot nearest to the place of events or from such other source as the deputy commissioner/assistant commissioner (excise) may appoint or approve, subject to such conditions as he may stipulate and as per the quantity of the supplies approved by the deputy commissioner/assistant commissioner (excise),” the notice said.
The statement went on to say that the special licence application must be submitted online one week before the event and that supplying alcohol may be permitted in pegs or bottles.
