Is Delhi Really Lowering the Legal Drinking Age to 21? Minister Reacts

Amid rumours of the Delhi government considering lowering the legal age of drinking beer from 25 to 21, Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma has firmly denied any such move.

Speaking to PTI, Verma said, "Whatever AAP is claiming is completely baseless. No such decision has been taken, nor has any proposal to reduce the age come before us. There is no such plan,"

His clarification comes as reports claimed that the Rekha Gupta government was preparing to reduce the drinking age, bringing it in sync with neighbouring states. The move was aim to end the revenue loss due to black market sales.

The clarification comes in response to media reports suggesting that the Rekha Gupta-led administration was reviewing its excise policy, potentially aligning Delhi's drinking age with neighbouring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where the legal age is 21. The alleged proposal was seen as a measure to curb black-market liquor sales and recover revenue losses.

While Verma dismissed the age-related claims, he confirmed that a high-level committee-comprising Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Home Minister Ashish Sood, and senior excise officials-is actively reviewing broader reforms to Delhi's liquor policy. These include:

Hybrid retail model: Reintroducing private liquor vendors alongside government-run outlets, a reversal of the AAP government's 2022 decision to scrap private licences following corruption allegations and CBI/ED investigations.
Revenue optimization: Addressing the estimated ₹4,000-₹5,000 crore annual revenue leakage due to cross-border alcohol purchases.
Infrastructure upgrades: Considering liquor outlets in malls and commercial hubs to modernize the retail experience and reduce residential disruption.

The Delhi Excise Act, 2009, continues to enforce strict penalties for underage drinking, and officials emphasized that no changes to the legal drinking age have been approved or formally proposed.