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Delhi’s Liquor Data Manipulated? CAG Report Uncovers Tracking Failures

February 25, 2025, 3:01 pm

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has uncovered major lapses in Delhi’s Excise Supply Chain Information Management System (ESCIMS), designed to track liquor movement from distilleries to retail outlets. Operational since 2013, the system has failed to prevent stock tampering and illegal liquor sales, raising concerns over revenue loss and black-market activities.

Liquor Tracking System Fails to Prevent Manipulation

The CAG report points to fundamental loopholes in ESCIMS, which must allow for smooth tracing of liquor sales. However, findings indicate rampant manipulation and weak enforcement. The key issues are:

28% of liquor bottles sold without barcode scanning: This renders impossible the tracing of origin of nearly 28% of stock, which raises the chances of illegal sales.
Manual stock reconciliation compromises system integrity: Retail liquor vends bypassed electronic tracking, using manual procedures that were error-prone and manipulable.
Fake barcodes detected: These counterfeit labels pose a risk for duty-paid liquor entering the supply chain and creating the potential for smuggling and tax avoidance.

Smuggling and Revenue Loss a Growing Concern

The non-execution of real-time tracking of liquor puts the Delhi government at risk of heavy revenue loss. Experts say that the absence of monitoring can lead to smuggling operations running at a huge scale, causing the state exchequer to lose hundreds of crores.

With continued interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Excise Department is facing increased pressure to close gaps, enforce stricter compliance, and stop more revenue loss.

Expected Policy Reforms During Investigations

Delhi’s excise system has several mismanagement problems, which are exacerbated by the tracking failures that were discovered. Procedural lapses, threats of monopolization, and licensing violations are already in focus.

Coming months will decide the fate to assign responsibility and facilitate policy interventions to ensure an open and more efficient excise system as the central agencies augment their probe.

CAG Report Exposes Key Lapses: ₹2,000+ Cr Loss Under AAP’s Liquor Policy

February 25, 2025, 1:54 pm

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, presented in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, disclosed that errors in the 2021-22 liquor policy during the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government resulted in financial losses of over Rs 2,000 crore. The report quoted revenue losses, irregularities in licenses, and violations of zoning, blaming former Deputy Chief Minister and Excise Minister Manish Sisodia for ignoring expert advice.

Major Revenue Losses Due to Licensing Failures

The CAG report had put the revenue loss at Rs 941.53 crore on account of the delay in receiving permissions for opening liquor vends in non-conforming municipal wards—those zones not approved for liquor sale under zoning regulations. This took a heavy toll on the Delhi government’s revenues.

Besides, the Excise Department lost Rs 890.15 crore when 19 zonal licensees handed over their licenses. The department did not re-tender these liquor zones and, as a result, earned no revenue from these zones at all.

Irregular Waiver of Rs 144 Crore in Licence Fees

The report also raised a red flag against an irregular waiver of Rs 144 crore allowed to liquor licensees given COVID-19 restrictions. Sisodia approved this waiver himself despite the objection from the finance department.

“Despite being mentioned in the conditions of tender document that any commercial risk shall lie with the licensee, clarification provided during the pre-bid meeting that there is no provision for force majeure and against the opinion of the excise department to relax the license fees, a waiver of license fees of ₹144 crore was granted to the zonal licenses on the basis of COVID restrictions (December 28, 2021 to Janaury 27, 2022) resulting in loss of revenue to the government,” reads the report.

Policy Transgressions and Implementation Failures

The CAG report laid bare some important violations in implementing the liquor policy:

The Delhi Master Plan 2021 banned liquor vends in non-conforming zones, but the Excise Policy 2021-22 had specified a minimum of two retail vends per ward.
Even though there were apparent zoning rules, licences were issued prior to resolving these issues.

On 16th November 2021, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) prohibited liquor vends in non-conforming areas, which resulted in a court case when licence holders were finally exempted from paying Rs 114.50 crore each month in licence fees.

Political Fallout and BJP’s Allegations

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also long accused the AAP government of corruption and mismanagement in the liquor policy. The report shed light on how the Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by Sisodia, made changes to expert committee suggestions in favor of private wholesalers and from 2 to 54 retail outlets per bidder. Key financial decisions were also made without Cabinet or LG approval.

CBI Investigation and AAP Leader Arrests

In July 2022, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena proposed a CBI probe in response to the controversial policy’s aftermath. Many AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh, were arrested as a result, and they spent months behind bars.

The BJP has employed the liquor policy scandal as a major issue against AAP, accusing it of financial mismanagement and corruption of public funds. With the CAG report now out in the open, the scandal is likely to heighten political confrontations in Delhi.

CAG Report Tabled: BJP Exposes ₹33.66 Cr ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Renovation Scandal

February 25, 2025, 1:27 pm

The freshly-formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, introduced the highly-awaited Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the second day of the eighth session of the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday. The report, an overview of several audits of the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, was introduced amid the absence of a large number of Opposition MLAs.

Earlier, Fifteen Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, including former CM and current LoP Atishi Singh, were suspended from the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday over the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the alleged liquor policy scam.

#WATCH | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta tables the CAG report on Excise Policy 2024.

Source: Vidhan Sabha https://t.co/b033XjJhTk pic.twitter.com/FOWwxWkvqO

— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2025

BJP Accuses AAP of Concealing Reports to Cover Scams

The BJP has charged the previous AAP government with willfully withholding CAG audits to cover up financial mismanagement. The party had long been asking for the reports to be made public during AAP rule and even went to court to insist on their release.

Last Thursday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had promised that these reports would be tabled in the first session of the new government. Fulfilling her promise, the reports were tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Controversial CAG Reports: Major Audits and Findings

The outstanding CAG audits are the reviews on:

State finances
Public health infrastructure
Vehicular air pollution
Liquor regulation
Delhi Transport Corporation’s operations

The BJP has always contended that the delay in publishing these reports was a ploy to hide corruption and financial mismanagement findings. The issue was a huge hotbed during the assembly polls, with the BJP accusing AAP of delaying the audits to avoid being scrutinized.

Key Report: ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Renovation Scandal

The audit of the renovations made to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home at 6 Flag Staff Road is among the most controversial disclosures. The project has been dubbed the “Sheesh Mahal” scandal by the BJP due to alleged irregularities in its planning, bidding, and implementation. By April 2022, the project’s expenses had increased by 342% to ₹33.66 crore from its initial clearance of ₹7.61 crore in 2020.

The BJP and Congress have criticized the project vehemently, claiming that the public money was spent on personal extravagance.

Lieutenant Governor’s Concerns Over Report Delays

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had earlier objected to the non-publication of these reports and had called for the legislative assembly to hold a special session in December 2024. Under the AAP government, though, these reports never came out, leading to more calls for their release.

New Speaker Guarantees Transparency in Report Tabling

BJP leader Vijender Gupta, who was a vocal AAP critic of the way CAG reports were dealt with and had earlier been marshaled out of the Assembly for calling for their release, is now Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. With Gupta at the helm, the BJP government is likely to make the presentation of pending audit reports to the House transparent without any delay.

With the release of the CAG report, the BJP has intensified its attack on the AAP government’s alleged financial mismanagement. The findings are expected to fuel further debates in the Assembly and shape Delhi’s political landscape in the coming months.

RSS holds the key to Delhi Assembly Outcome

January 27, 2025, 3:04 am

The much-awaited contest for the control of the Delhi Assembly and the government has pitted the Bharatiya Janata Party against the Aam Aadmi Party, with the Congress struggling to remain in the race. However, the election has created a dilemma for the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), since its primary objective would be to ensure that the Congress does not make a comeback at any cost. It is a well-known fact that the BJP is virtually the political arm of the Sangh though its president, J.P.Nadda, had during the Parliamentary polls, stated in a controversial interview, that his party was self-sufficient to take on its political opponents. The Lok Sabha election saw the RSS volunteers keeping away from the contest in many parts of the country resulting in a verdict which brought down the BJP’s numbers from 303 to 240.

However, the Sangh backed the BJP fully in both the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections thus leading to the Congress rout in both places. The relations between the Sangh and the BJP have since then improved considerably. However, the RSS is also known to have played a major role in the India Against Corruption movement which led to the fall of the Congress dispensation at the Centre in the 2014 elections. It was a part of a well-thought through strategy that the RSS was able to dislodge the Manmohan Singh government and used multiple people including Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal to achieve the objective. After suffering successive defeats in the past two Assembly polls and also being impacted by the presence of AAP nominees in states like Haryana, Goa and Gujarat, the Congress has described AAP as the “B’’ team of the RSS. The Sangh as well as the AAP have in the past strived for a “Congress-Mukt’’ Bharat and this exercise commenced from the National Capital in 2013. The issue which has arisen is that what would the RSS do in the ongoing Delhi polls. If the Congress charge is presumed to be correct, would the “B’’ team get its backing when the “A’’ team is on the threshold of victory. A difficult choice if at all it has to be made. Ground reports suggest that the RSS volunteers are working in 50 out of 70 Assembly segments for the BJP. While the authenticity of such information is in the realm of speculation, it needs to be ascertained why would the RSS not work in all the 70 and only in select areas. This logic defies all logic and can easily be dismissed as propaganda by opponents of the BJP.

There is also source-based information which indicates that the RSS wants the BJP to come to power but would want AAP to be around so that the Congress does not make a comeback. It amounts to having your cake and eating it as well. It is another matter that the Congress faces internal challenges, the poor organizational network being its biggest hurdle. There are certain similarities in the BJP campaign for the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Political observers had pointed out that during the Parliamentary elections, the BJP tables in many areas had the Ram Mandir flags flying and not those of the party. In the current scenario, the sight of Ram Mandir flags being sold along with National flags at various intersections do provide a food for thought. While at one level, the BJP narrative of linking Nationalism with Ram Mandir is apparent, at another level it is a subtle way of introducing the Ram temple sentiments into the campaign. It should come as no surprise if the Ram Temple flags are flaunted at the BJP tables on the polling day as well. The RSS has in the past always pursued what it considers to be appropriate at different times. In 1980 and 1984, the Sangh backed the Congress, since in its perception, the grand old party was the only entity which could keep the country united. It backed the BJP in every election thereafter except in 2024, when it probably wanted to drive home the point of its supremacy. The choice in Delhi was never as hard as it is now, since in the last two Assembly polls, the contest was one sided with the AAP getting more than 50 percent of the votes that had been cast, a record of sorts. However, this time around, the BJP is hoping to wrest control of the government to end its string of defeats since the 1993 elections when it came to power on the strength of an aggressive campaign spearheaded by Madan Lal Khurana. There are multiple ironies that have emerged in the ensuing elections and the BJP and the Congress, both, seem to be working to diminish AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. However, the BJP realizes that it would be ideal if it comes to power, and AAP is relegated to a situation where its seats are down by at least one third.

The Congress wishes to reclaim its footprint by winning a few seats, thus heralding its revival. There are certain issues which also need to be understood and realized. The biggest question is the spoiler role played by AAP in Haryana, Goa and Gujarat, the three states where it had no chance of winning. The question is whether it fielded candidates in these places at the instance of the Sangh to thwart the Congress and reduce its chances. There is also this common objective which the BJP and the Congress nurture secretly. That is to reduce the role of regional parties and thus pave the way for a two-party system. In current context, it is the RSS which needs to be put under scrutiny to ascertain what its role would be in the Delhi Assembly polls, since this is a key element to the final outcome.

The Parcel Was Checked In Which Ganja Weighing Around 116 Kg Was found”, Police

September 25, 2024, 4:20 am

The Delhi Unit of Congress has criticized the Delhi government and new Chief Minister Atishi Singh for neglecting the pressing issues facing the national capital for months. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav pointed out that a two-day session of the Delhi Assembly is scheduled for September 26 and 27 after a year-long hiatus. Instead of prioritizing the agenda to address the city’s numerous challenges, Yadav accused Chief Minister Atishi of engaging in theatrics, calling her decision to leave Kejriwal’s CM chair vacant a “drama” that has drawn ridicule from the public.

Yadav emphasized that Atishi must focus on Delhi’s problems, noting the surge in dengue cases, which have reached 1,229, with 300 reported in the past week. He urged her to take immediate action to combat the spread of dengue and malaria, address waterlogging, ensure clean drinking water, repair broken roads, control dust pollution, illuminate streets, and improve the overall deteriorating condition of the capital. He highlighted that she holds 13 portfolios, unlike her predecessor Kejriwal, who held none but enjoyed the full benefits of the CM role without any accountability. Yadav criticized Kejriwal for spending excessive time traveling to other states and engaging in corruption, ultimately leading to the fallout from the liquor scam.

Furthermore, Yadav stated that if Atishi truly prioritizes the welfare of the people and aims to resume stalled developments in Delhi, she should present the 11 pending CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports in the Assembly, as directed by the Lt.
Governor to the Delhi Assembly Speaker. He argued that these reports would reveal the extent of corruption under the Kejriwal government over the past few years.
Similarly Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also criticized Atishi Singh, stating that the people of Delhi are well aware of her track record as a minister who focuses more on making statements and announcements than on actual administrative work. He remarked that when she became Chief Minister, there was hope she might prioritize governance.
However, her performance over the last four days, amounting to roughly 100 hours, has shown that she is more focused on continuing Arvind Kejriwal’s corruption-tainted agenda than on improving governance.

Atishi Likely To Address Delhi Assembly As New CM On Sept 26-27

September 18, 2024, 4:18 am

Atishi, the chief minister-designate of Delhi, is expected to address her first session as the leader of the house in the Delhi assembly on September 26-27. This special session has been called after Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation from the position of chief minister, with Atishi staking her claim to form the new government.

Oath-Taking Ceremony Awaiting Confirmation
Although Atishi is expected to address the assembly, it remains uncertain whether her official oath-taking ceremony will be completed by then. This will depend on the schedule provided by Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena, following approval from the President.

No Agenda Set for the Special Session
A senior party member mentioned that the agenda for the special session has not yet been finalized. However, it is anticipated that Atishi will address pressing issues concerning Delhi and outline the government’s plans for the future.

Constitutional Process and Assembly Rules
Constitutional expert SK Sharma explained that the power to appoint a chief minister rests with the President. Since the Aam Aadmi Party holds a significant majority in the Delhi assembly, no obstacles are expected. However, the date of the oath-taking ceremony is still at the discretion of the President and the LG.

Special Assembly Session Details
While Delhi usually holds three major assembly sessions—budget, monsoon, and winter—additional sessions can be called for urgent matters. It is also mandatory that the gap between two sessions does not exceed six months.

Delhi Assembly cancels scheduled sitting for today; next session set for March 27

March 22, 2024, 11:36 am

The Delhi Assembly has cancelled its sitting scheduled for Friday following the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is set to appear before a special court today. The next assembly session is now planned for March 27 at 11 am.

“Hon’ble members are hereby informed that the Hon’ble Speaker has directed the sitting of the House scheduled for today i.e. 22 March 2024 stands cancelled,” the Deputy Secretary stated.

Kejriwal, the AAP National Convenor, was arrested on Thursday in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged liquor policy scam. The cancellation was announced by the Deputy Secretary, citing the Speaker’s directive.

Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party have launched a nationwide protest in response to Kejriwal’s arrest. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maaran and Tamil Nadu Minister Sekar Babu protested in Chennai Central against the arrest.

AAP leaders have described the arrest as a move by the BJP to stifle opposition voices ahead of the elections. They have rallied behind Kejriwal, while the BJP has supported the ED’s actions, accusing Kejriwal of corruption.

The INDIA bloc parties have criticized the BJP for using the ED as a weapon against the opposition. Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody in the excise policy case.

The arrest of Kejriwal marks the first time a sitting CM has been arrested by the Central government, according to Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi. She described it as a “political conspiracy” by the BJP.

Manipur issue is likely to be discussed in the Delhi Assembly today

August 17, 2023, 11:25 am

On the final day of its two-day session on Thursday, the Delhi Legislative Assembly is likely to discuss the Manipur issue. MLAs Durgesh Pathak, Vinay Mishra, and Kuldeep Kumar will start a brief discussion on the topic of unrest in Manipur and the atrocities being experienced by the people there, according to the legislative business listed for the House on Thursday. On August 11, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed regret that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not travel to Manipur and take any appropriate action.

“When there was violence in Manipur, PM Modi went on a foreign tour. When there was a flood situation in Delhi and the northern parts of India, he again went on a foreign tour. He (PM Modi) did election rallies in several states but did not visit Manipur. The whole country was hoping that PM Modi will visit Manipur and improve the situation of the state. But this never happened which is very unfortunate,” Bharadwaj said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort on Tuesday, appealed for peace in strife-torn Manipur saying that people across the country stand with the people of the Northeast state.
“The whole country stands with the people of Manipur. Peace is the only way to resolve all disputes. The Centre and the Manipur government are making every effort to ensure that peace returns to the state at the earliest,” PM Modi said.

Over 100 people have died and thousands more have been displaced as a result of the violence in the Northeast state. Notably, a viral video from Manipur, where two women were allegedly seen being paraded naked, sparked a debate and prompted worries about the situation in Manipur, where there have been ethnic clashes since May 4.

Two-day session of Delhi assembly begins

August 16, 2023, 1:18 pm

The Delhi Legislative Assembly’s two-day session began on Wednesday.
Members paid respect to five army troops who were slain in April this year when terrorists ambushed their convoy in Poonch area.

They also remembered the security personnel murdered in an April Maoist attack in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, as well as the victims of violence in Manipur and Haryana.

The House also remembered Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, who died yesterday. Earlier, BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri told the reporters that he had asked the Assembly speaker to extend the two-day session to ten days.

“I urged the Speaker that he should convene a 10-day Session. Our MLAs have given 12 notices and we want a discussion. The Chief Minister build a ‘sheesh mahal’ by violating all rules. There are scams including on the liquor policy. Why is Arvind Kejriwal running away from a discussion on all these issues? He will have to answer,” Bidhuri told the media.

In response, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj remarked that BJP MLAs should go to Parliament to see how the opposition is treated, adding that democracy reigns supreme in the Delhi Assembly.

Following the passage of the necessary law in Parliament, the Delhi assembly is anticipated to debate the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023. The Act has taken the place of an ordinance issued by the Centre regarding control of services in Delhi.

Petition filed in Delhi HC to abolish screening process for nursery admission

May 1, 2023, 2:18 pm

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking direction to expedite the process of finalization of the Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill, 2015, so far as it relates to the prohibition of screening procedure in the matter of admission of tiny tots at pre-primary level (nursery/pre-primary) in schools.

Plea alleges that private schools have been adopting the unethical practice of subjecting children of 3+ age to screening procedures. Petition stated that a child-friendly Bill, namely, Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill, 2015 banning screening procedures in Nursery admission in schools is hanging between the Central and Delhi Governments for the last 7 years without any justification and against the public interest and opposed to public policy.

Petitioner NGO namely Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group also highlights that very objective and purpose of the Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill, 2015 is to protect tiny tots from exploitation and unjust discrimination in the matter of nursery admission in private schools which is literally defeated by delay in finalizing the same by the Central and Delhi Government and making it a law.

Petition submits that the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 prohibits screening procedures in a matter of admission of a child in a school and makes it an offence punishable under the law. However, the RTE Act, of 2009 does not apply to children below 6 years of age and so does not apply to nursery class admissions.
The petitioner submits that people have a right to know why a child-friendly Bill has not seen the light of the day even after 7 years of its unanimous passing from the Delhi Assembly in 2015.

It further stated that the very objective and purpose of the Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill, 2015 is to protect tiny tots from exploitation and unjust discrimination in the matter of nursery admission in private schools which is literally defeated by delay in finalizing the Bill by Central and Delhi Government.

BJP MLAs sit in protest outside Deputy CM Manish Sisodia office

January 18, 2023, 12:54 pm

Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs sit on dharna outside the office of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday. The BJP MLAs are raising the issue of pollution in the Yamuna in the House.