CAG Report Delhi Excise Policy: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has raised serious concerns about quality control failures in the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) implemented by the AAP government. The report reveals that many liquor wholesalers failed to submit mandatory quality test reports, with some reports missing, outdated, or from unaccredited labs, violating Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and FSSAI norms. This lack of regulation compromises public safety and questions the credibility of liquor supply in Delhi.
Major Findings of the CAG Report
- Liquor Test Reports Not as Per BIS Standards
Many liquor test reports did not comply with BIS guidelines.
196 out of 385 test reports (50.91%) were either outdated or missing.
Some reports were over nine years old but were still accepted for issuing licenses.
Some test reports came from unaccredited labs, violating FSSAI norms.
- Quality Reports from In-House Labs, Not Independent Assessments
In 226 cases of brand registration (58.70%), quality reports were from in-house company labs, not independent third-party testing facilities.
In 254 cases (65.97%), reports did not mention international testing standards, making it impossible to verify the actual liquor quality.
- Excise Department Issued Licenses Despite Missing Reports
The CAG audit found multiple cases where the Excise Department issued liquor licenses even when essential test reports were not submitted.
Important tests on water quality, harmful ingredients, heavy metals, and methyl alcohol were missing for many brands.
Delhi Excise Policy: ₹2,002 Crore Revenue Loss and Corruption Allegations
The Delhi Excise Policy (November 2021) was introduced to restructure liquor sales in the capital, but it later became embroiled in a corruption scandal.
The CAG report claims that the Delhi government suffered a revenue loss of ₹2,002 crore due to irregularities in the policy.
The policy was later scrapped following allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement.
Key AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, were arrested in connection with the case but later granted bail.
Public Safety at Risk Due to Poor Quality Checks
The CAG report emphasizes that ensuring liquor quality is the responsibility of the Excise Department, yet many violations were found. The lack of compliance with BIS and FSSAI guidelines raises public health and safety concerns, as the actual quality of liquor supplied in Delhi remains uncertain.
Conclusion
The CAG report has exposed serious quality control lapses and regulatory failures in Delhi’s excise policy under the AAP government. With missing test reports, outdated compliance documents, and licensing irregularities, the integrity of the liquor supply in Delhi is in question. This scandal has not only caused a massive revenue loss of ₹2,002 crore but also put public health at risk. Further investigations and accountability measures are needed to restore transparency in the Delhi excise system.
