Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that no new liquor shops will be allowed to open in the national capital this year, with the fate of existing ones to be decided by the residents of the communities they were located in.

“Bahut saare log apne apne ilaake ke andar sharaab ki dukaanon se dukhi rehte hai [Many people are upset with the liquor shops in their areas],” NDTV reported Kejriwal as saying while announcing his government’s decision. He also said the presence of these shops posed a law and order problem in the neighbourhoods, adding that local authorities had received several complaints regarding the same.

Community residents will be able to decide by a two-thirds majority whether liquor shops will be allowed to remain open in their localities, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said. However, the shops will be allowed to shift to a new area, barring any objections from the people of that area.