The apex body of Indian alcoholic beverage industry has written to the Delhi tourism department over the alleged stopping of supply for many liquor brands in the capital, demanding the orders should be placed on basis of demand and "not a pre-determined discriminatory list".

In a letter to the Delhi tourism department, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) said only a select few brands have been categorised as "popular" and orders for supply are being given for only these brands.?The letter comes as the sales of alcohol will go up during the ongoing festive season.

"We have been informed that since early December, orders for supply of many brands of our member companies have been stopped," said the December 22 letter addressed to Niharika Rai, Managing Director and CEO of Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation. The body noted that the current excise policy commenced in September and it is "unfair" to stop orders without any intimation or notice to supplier companies.

"We also wish to bring to your urgent notice that companies have paid full year fees, even for the truncated seven months period of the excise policy in force," the CIABC said. An "unexpected and arbitrary stoppage of orders" for the supply of brands of companies will make the recovery of this fee very difficult, the body noted. "It is, therefore, humbly requested that orders for supply should be placed on basis of demand of products in the market and not a pre-determined discriminatory list," the letter added.?