Delhi sees sharp rise in liquor stores since AAP’s excise policy roll-back

Delhi's liquor stores surged to 713 by June 2025, up from 584 last year, following a policy shift. However, popular brands remain scarce.

The number of liquor stores in the Capital has risen to 713 as of June 2025, up from 584 in June last year, government officials said. The sharp increase comes nearly three years after Delhi reverted to its old excise policy following a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2021-22 excise policy formulated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

A liquor shop in Delhi. (REUTERS)

In September 2022, just weeks after the roll-back, the city had only 350 operational liquor outlets—triggering a major disruption in alcohol availability. To restore supply and curb illegal inflow from neighbouring states, the excise department had announced a rapid expansion plan, aiming to run 500 government-operated vends by September 1, 2022, and scale up to 700 by year-end.

However, the roll-out faced delays due to challenges in securing commercially viable spaces that met legal norms, including minimum distance from schools, places of worship, and residential areas. “There has been a concerted push to expand the retail network to meet public demand and boost excise revenue. Despite the challenges, the department has made notable progress,” said a senior government official, asking not to be named.

Despite the high number of liquor stores, however, there is limited availability of popular brands and consumers frequently report that well-known Indian and international brands, particularly premium whiskies, vodkas, and wines, are either out of stock or not available at any of the outlets.