In a significant reprieve for ‘Hauz Khas Social’, the Delhi High Court has temporarily stayed the excise department’s directive that prohibited the popular eatery from serving liquor due to an allegedly invalid eating house license. The court’s decision came after the restaurant’s operator, Epiphany Hospitality Pvt Ltd, appealed against the abrupt halt of its operations instigated by the excise department on April 3, 2025.
Justice Sachin Datta, overseeing the case, pointed out that the restaurant’s license was valid up until March 31, 2024, and noted that the renewal process had been actively pursued since then. The court emphasized that under the Delhi Eating House Registration Regulations, 2023, the license granted to the establishment remains effective until a renewal certificate is issued or a formal notice of refusal is delivered by the police.
The court critiqued the excise department’s actions, deeming the April 8, 2024, show-cause notice, which demanded cessation of liquor services, as “misconceived.” The notice was issued despite the restaurant holding a valid license for serving both Indian and foreign liquors, extended through June of the current year.
During the proceedings, representatives from the Delhi government’s excise department clarified that no seizure of liquor had occurred, stating that the directive was only to pause liquor sales until further notification. On the other hand, the licensing unit of Delhi Police acknowledged the pending renewal application from ‘Hauz Khas Social’, attributing delays to the absence of an “area suitability report” from the concerned unit.
The High Court directed the police to expedite their review of the renewal application, mandating a decision within two weeks. It further ordered that the excise department’s instruction for the restaurant to stop serving liquor is suspended pending the final adjudication of the matter.
