Delhi’s drinking age too high? Court will decide

PETITION ARGUES THAT DELHI RESIDENTS BELOW 25 YRS OF AGE GO TO OTHER STATES TO CONSUME ALCOHOL

NEWDELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday sought a response from the Delhi government on a plea seeking the legal age for drinking alcohol to be lowered from the current 25 years. The plea said the current age limit discriminates against Delhi residents because the minimum legal age for alcohol consumption in other states is lower.

A bench comprising acting chief justice Gita Mittal and justice C Hari Shankar sought to know the stand of the Delhi government’s excise department on the public interest litigation brought by Kush Kalra, challenging Section 23 of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 that prescribes the legal age for drinking alcohol in the Capital.

A senior excise official said the department would reply spelling out its stand on the issue and substantiate the response with data. “We will submit the stand of the Delhi government in writing and corroborate our findings with data as has been asked by the court,” this person added, asking not to be identified.

According to the PIL, the legal age for drinking of alcohol in Uttar Pradesh and Goa is 21, and Rajasthan, 18.

The PIL said many Delhi residents aged below 25 travel to other states to consume alcohol.