A recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has raised concerns over the Delhi government’s excise policy, revealing that the city suffered a loss of ₹2,000 crore in revenue. The report, tabled during the Delhi Assembly session on February 25, 2025, has sparked a fierce political debate.
According to the findings, the scrapping of the Delhi liquor policy in 2022 resulted in massive financial mismanagement. Critics of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal argue that the policy’s flawed execution led to the significant loss. BJP leaders have called for accountability, accusing the AAP administration of inefficiency and corruption.
The excise policy aimed to increase revenue for the capital, but the CAG’s audit revealed that the projected revenues fell short due to mismanagement and irregularities. Opposition parties have seized on the report to accuse the AAP of financial negligence, while the AAP has defended the policy, calling the CAG’s report politically motivated.
In response to the allegations, Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterated that the BJP’s focus on the report is an attempt to distract from its own failures. Meanwhile, BJP spokespersons have demanded a thorough investigation and asked for Kejriwal to explain the losses, stressing that this is just the “tip of the iceberg.”
The report has intensified the ongoing political showdown, with Delhi’s finances now under intense scrutiny. With further audits on the horizon, the session promises to bring more revelations about the AAP government’s handling of state affairs.
