Liquor shops in the national capital will remain open this Holi after the festival was removed from the official ‘dry day’ list by the Delhi government. An order issued in January confirmed that Holi would no longer be observed as a day when the sale of alcohol is prohibited, marking a shift from previous practice.

The notification outlined the designated dry days for the January–March period, which include Republic Day, Maha Shivratri, Id-ul-Fitr, Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti. Holi was not included in the revised list, allowing licensed liquor vendors across the city to operate as usual during the festival of colours. Dry days are typically enforced on national holidays and major religious occasions, when the retail sale of alcohol is restricted.

The decision has also drawn political attention. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is currently in power in Delhi, had earlier criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in 2022 over changes to the dry day calendar. At the time, the BJP had objected to the reduction in the number of dry days under the previous administration’s excise policy framework.

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Officials have indicated that the dry day list is periodically reviewed and may vary across different quarters of the year. For residents and retailers, the move clarifies that business operations will continue uninterrupted this Holi. The development reflects the broader discretion exercised by state governments in determining excise regulations, balancing administrative policy, public sentiment and revenue considerations.

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