New Delhi: Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi on Tuesday defended the previous Aam Aadmi Party government’s now-scrapped excise policy, citing a CAG report to claim that the old policy was marred by corruption and smuggling.
A performance audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on the regulation and supply of liquor in the national capital has shown lapses in the functioning of the excise department and its policy, leading to revenue losses exceeding Rs 2,026.91 crore.
The CAG report — ‘Performance audit report on regulation and supply of liquor in Delhi’ — was tabled during the first session of the newly-elected Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi alleged that interference from the BJP-appointed Lieutenant Governor (LG), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) obstructed the implementation of the new excise policy, resulting in an annual revenue loss of Rs 8,900 crore.
According to Atishi, seven out of the eight chapters in the CAG report expose flaws in the old excise policy, while only one focuses on the new policy.
“The AAP government always raised concerns about corruption in the old excise policy, which facilitated illegal liquor smuggling. The report shows that liquor shop owners engaged in corrupt practices, inflating prices and causing heavy losses to Delhi’s exchequer,” she said.
She further claimed that the new excise policy, introduced by the AAP government, was more transparent and had the potential to significantly boost revenue collection, similar to Punjab, where excise revenue reportedly increased by 65% after implementing the same policy.
Atishi alleged that the new policy was not implemented effectively due to external interference.
“The BJP’s LG stopped the implementation, creating hurdles. The CBI filed an FIR within a year of the policy’s launch, and the ED registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR) soon after. This led to a situation where no officer was willing to sign or execute the policy, fearing legal action. As a result, Delhi lost Rs 2,000 crore in expected revenue and Rs 8,900 crore annually,” PTI quoted Former Delhi CM as saying.
She called for an investigation into the roles of the LG, CBI, and ED in blocking the policy.
The excise policy issue remains a major political flashpoint in Delhi. While AAP leaders argue that the policy was designed to boost revenue, the BJP has accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led government of irregularities. The ongoing Assembly session is expected to witness further debates on the matter.
