The drinks are flowing again at Hauz Khas Social—thanks to a stern nudge from the Delhi High Court that told the Excise Department to pump the brakes on its sudden crackdown.
What started as a routine inspection on April 3 turned into a buzzkill for the popular hangout when the Excise Department slapped it with an order to stop serving alcohol, claiming the restaurant lacked a valid Eating House License. They even seized liquor stock (allegedly). But the operator, Epiphany Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., wasn’t having it.
They took the matter to court, where Justice Sachin Datta wasn’t impressed by the bureaucratic blame game. He noted that Hauz Khas Social already held valid liquor permits—L-17 and L-17F—good through June 30. The only missing puzzle piece? A renewed Eating House License, which had been applied for in time, but got caught in red tape over a delayed area suitability report from the Delhi Police.
The court pointed out that under the 2023 regulations, the restaurant’s license continues to remain in effect while the renewal is pending—meaning the order to halt liquor service was, in the judge’s words, “ex-facie misconceived.”
Adding to the saga, the police had earlier issued a show-cause notice over proximity to a school and temples, but didn’t follow through after the restaurant addressed all safety concerns and got a fresh fire clearance. That inaction, the court noted, made the ongoing delay all the more suspect.
So, the verdict? The court hit pause on the Excise Department’s order and told them to let the bar operate as usual. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has been ordered to quit stalling and sort out the license renewal within two weeks.
For now, Hauz Khas Social lives to pour another round. Bureaucracy may be slow, but in this case, the bar beat the ban.
