Priyanka Tiwari
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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed in an interview that her administration will soon introduce a new, transparent, and “foolproof” excise policy. The updated policy aims to boost government revenue without disrupting social order. Gupta emphasized that the policy would reflect the best practices followed by other successful state excise models across India.
BJP's Excise Reforms Follow Controversy Over AAP's 2021-22 Policy
The BJP took power in Delhi in February 2025, with the alleged irregularities under the AAP’s 2021-22 excise policy being a key election issue. That policy had been scrapped after serious allegations of corruption and procedural violations surfaced.
Lt. Governor V. K. Saxena had recommended a CBI investigation in July 2022, prompting the AAP government to withdraw the excise reform just a month later. Under the now-defunct AAP policy, private companies had taken over both retail and wholesale liquor distribution, and the government had exited the liquor business.
Return to Government-Controlled Liquor Sales
After the AAP's policy was revoked on August 31, 2022, Delhi reverted to its earlier model where liquor sales are handled by government-owned corporations. Today, the city operates around 700 government-run liquor shops, managed by four Delhi government corporations.
What to Expect from the New Policy
According to CM Gupta, the upcoming policy will prioritize:
Transparency in operations
Revenue generation for the state
Avoidance of social disruptions
Learning from successful excise models in other states
She reaffirmed that public interest and clean governance would remain central to the excise reform process.
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