Delhi excise SKU revalidation requires fresh liquor brand registration before April 1

Delhi’s excise department has directed liquor wholesalers to complete fresh brand registration and revalidate stock keeping units before April 1. The order came through a circular issued to L-1 licensees. Officials said the step aimed to support a smooth shift into the new excise year. The process will run through the government’s eAbkari portal.

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The circular said all existing stock keeping units, or SKUs, will expire at midnight on March 31. It added that no licensee can trade using old SKUs unless validity gets extended. The department linked the extension to completing brand registration. It also cautioned that lapses could trigger operational limits or regulatory action.

Delhi excise SKUs: old codes expire, limited functions remain

The department explained that an SKU is a unique alphanumeric product code used for tracking. It supports inventory control and sales records across the excise supply chain. The system also uses barcoding to verify individual liquor items. Officials said traceability within eAbkari depends on correct registration and code use.

Under the standard operating procedure, L-1 licensees must register brands on the eAbkari portal. After approval for the same licensee in the new excise year, the system will extend old SKU validity. The circular said brand registration and approval will be done only through eAbkari. This extension supports handling of existing stock.

Delhi excise SKUs: new SKU IDs needed for permits and barcodes

The department said key actions will be blocked for old SKUs even after validity extends. It said import permit, or IP, placement will not be allowed on old SKUs. Barcode generation will also be disabled for those codes. These operations will be allowed only for newly registered products with fresh SKU IDs.

For new registrations, the department said new SKUs will receive fresh case-level GTIN sequences. It added that bottle-level GTINs will continue from the last sequence. This carry-forward will apply for the same product from the previous excise year. The GTIN linked to old SKUs will stay valid for existing stock handling.

The department said all licensees must follow the instructions to avoid disruption. Officials linked the measures to maintaining proper traceability in eAbkari. The circular also warned of restrictions or regulatory action for non-compliance. Wholesalers were asked to complete portal-based steps before the March 31 deadline.

With inputs from PTI