Delhi government’s excise revenue from liquor sales increased by Rs 153 crore during April and May this year compared with the corresponding period last year, with officials and industry representatives attributing the rise to greater policy stability, stronger enforcement against brand pushing in government-run liquor stores, the resurgence of national liquor brands and the expansion of large-format retail outlets.
According to government data, excise collections stood at Rs 1,038 crore in April and May 2026, up from Rs 885 crore during the same period in 2025.
The increase comes as the Delhi government has set an excise revenue target of Rs 7,200 crore for 2026-27, marginally higher than the Rs 7,148 crore collected in the previous financial year.
Industry data also indicates a shift in consumer preferences. National liquor brands, which had steadily lost market share after Delhi reverted to a government-run retail model in 2022, regained the lead in May 2026. Their share of liquor sales by volume rose to 54 per cent, compared with 24 per cent in May last year.
Officials and industry representatives said the improvement in revenue was supported by stricter monitoring to curb brand pushing in government liquor outlets, ensuring a more balanced availability of products across stores.
The growth has also coincided with greater policy certainty. In March this year, the Delhi government extended the 2020-21 excise policy for another year until March 31, 2027. The move marked the longest extension since September 2022, when the city reverted to the older excise regime after the 2021-22 policy came under scrutiny over alleged irregularities.
Since then, Delhi had been operating under a series of short-term policy extensions, which industry stakeholders said created uncertainty and made business planning difficult. They believe the longer extension has provided stability to retailers and suppliers, contributing to improved sales and higher revenue collections in the opening months of the financial year.
