Delhi High Court Slams AAP Government Over CAG Report on Liquor Policy

The Delhi High Court has expressed strong displeasure over the response from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government about the delayed response about the much-talked-about Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report about the much-villainized now-scrapped excise policy. The report, which was released last week, listed a series of anomalies in the implementations done by the Delhi government that resulted in a whopping loss of ₹2,026 crore to the public exchequer.

During a hearing on Monday, the High Court reprimanded the Delhi government, accusing it of “dragging its feet” to delay the Assembly session. The court stated, “The timeline is stark. You’ve dragged your feet to avoid the session from happening.” It also pointed out that the time taken to send the report to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) and other delays raise serious doubts about the government’s bona fides. The court emphasized that the government should have acted promptly and ensured that the report reached the Assembly Speaker without unnecessary delays.

The Delhi government responded to the court’s observations by questioning the feasibility of holding an Assembly session with elections around the corner. However, the court maintained that the delay in addressing the report’s findings appeared deliberate and lacked justification.

The CAG report, released on Saturday, detailed substantial lapses in the excise policy’s formulation and execution, which had far-reaching consequences for Delhi’s economy and governance.

• The report claimed a loss of ₹2,026 crore to the government due to irregularities in the excise policy.
• Licenses were reportedly awarded to bidders operating at a loss, raising questions about the transparency of the bidding process.
• The then-Excise Minister, Manish Sisodia, and a group of ministers allegedly ignored the expert panel’s recommendations, making arbitrary decisions without cabinet or LG approval.
• The report also suggested that while Delhi’s residents bore the financial burden, AAP leaders benefitted through alleged kickbacks.

The findings have added fuel to the already ongoing political firestorm surrounding the AAP government’s excise policy. The opposition has intensified its criticism, labeling the Arvind Kejriwal-led government as corrupt and mismanaged. The report has also reignited the discussion about accountability and transparency in governance.

The stern observations by the High Court and the damning CAG report have put the AAP government on the mat. As the legal and political fallout unfolds, the Delhi government will be under pressure to address these allegations and provide clarity on its actions.