Delhi liquor booking app sparks row as AAP demands rollback, Congress questions convenience

The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has introduced a mobile application that allows consumers to book liquor brands in advance from its retail outlets across the national Capital, drawing criticism from opposition parties over the scheme's practicality and impact.

The app, called Delhi Liquor Booking, enables customers to check the availability of brands at DSIIDC-operated liquor vends, pay for their orders in advance and collect them from the selected outlet. The facility offers an alternative to choosing and purchasing liquor directly at the shops, although customers must still visit the outlets to collect their orders.

A DSIIDC official said the corporation operates nearly 210 liquor vends across Delhi. However, the official added that the response to the facility had been tepid, partly because many consumers were still unaware of its availability.

How the liquor booking app works

Through the application, consumers can reserve their preferred brands from the stock available at DSIIDC-run outlets. Payment must be made in advance, after which customers can visit the relevant vend to collect their orders.

The service is limited to brands stocked at DSIIDC-operated shops and does not cover all liquor outlets in the city.

Existing individual purchase limits remain unchanged. Under the current rules cited by officials, a person can purchase up to nine litres of whisky and 18 litres of beer.

The digital facility is intended to make purchases more convenient by allowing customers to check availability and reserve their preferred brands before travelling to an outlet. It also offers a way to plan purchases in advance, although collection still requires a visit to the shop.

Officials had indicated last year that the new excise policy was likely to introduce a mobile application to improve consumer convenience and address recurring complaints about liquor brands being unavailable or out of stock at retail outlets.

More than 700 liquor vends run by four government agencies

Delhi has more than 700 liquor retail outlets operated by four government agencies: DSIIDC, the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, the Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and the Delhi Consumers' Cooperative Wholesale Store.

DSIIDC's application currently serves customers purchasing from its own network of nearly 210 outlets, rather than the entire government-operated retail network.

Despite the stated objective of improving convenience, the facility has faced questions over whether advance booking meaningfully reduces the difficulties consumers encounter when purchasing liquor from retail shops.

AAP demands withdrawal of the scheme

The application has triggered criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with party leader and former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj describing the initiative as an anti-people scheme and demanding its withdrawal.

In a post on his official X account, Bharadwaj issued an open challenge to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, asking her to roll back the scheme within 24 hours. He warned that the AAP would otherwise launch mass agitation and protests against the BJP government.

Bharadwaj criticised the government for introducing the facility, alleging that the chief minister was concerned about people waiting in queues at liquor shops. He said his party would not allow the BJP government to continue with what he described as an anti-people liquor scheme.

Congress questions the need for online booking

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has also questioned the practicality of the initiative, arguing that advance booking does not eliminate the need to visit a liquor shop to collect an order.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Dikshit said the main problems associated with liquor outlets included traffic congestion and instances of misbehaviour, which he argued would persist even if customers booked their purchases online.

“But the whole question is, even if you do online bookings, you still have to approach the shop to buy. And that is where both traffic problems as well as ill-behaviour problems occur. So, I really don't know why this step has happened,” he said.

The opposition's criticism centres on whether the application addresses the difficulties faced by customers at retail outlets when physical collection remains necessary.

BJP and Delhi government's response awaited

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Delhi government had not issued a response to the criticism at the time of publication. Their response is awaited, and the report will be updated if further comments are received.