NEW DELHI: The AAP government's new excise policy 2021-22, which went into effect on November 17 last year, has received harsh condemnation from the opposition and industry experts in the national capital for a multiple reasons.

Private bidders were awarded retail licences for 849 vends across the city, divided into 32 zones, under the new strategy. Opponents of the programme have filed complaints with the L-G and central agencies, requesting an investigation. Based on the Delhi Chief Secretary's July 8 report, which identified "deliberate and severe procedural errors to grant post tender disproportionate benefits to liquor licensees for the year 2021-2022," Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena has urged a CBI probe.

The Chief Secretary's report also identified potential violations of the GNCTD Act of 1991, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) of 1993, the Delhi Excise Act of 2009, and the Delhi Excise Rules of 2010.
Manish Sisodia, the head of the Excise Department, is accused of financial bribery in carrying out significant decisions about excise policy, which have apparently huge financial ramifications. He also gave unwarranted financial favours to liquor licensees long after the contracts were won, causing massive losses to the ex-chequer.

The Excise Department reportedly waived the presented licence price by Rs 144.36 crore, citing the epidemic as an explanation. In its November 8, 2021 decision, the excise department under Sisodia altered the formula for calculating foreign liquor pricing and eliminated the Rs 50 per case import pass cost on beer.

The AAP government is further accused of seeking to legalise "these illegal choices" by obtaining cabinet approval as recently as July 14, which is said to be in breach of established rules and processes.

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