Alcohol prohibition in India

Alcohol prohibition in India is in force in the states of Gujarat, Kerala, Bihar, Nagaland and Manipur; as well as in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. All other Indian states and union territories permit the sale of alcohol.

The directive principles of state policy in the Constitution of India (article 47) state that "....the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health".

Bombay State had prohibition between 1948 and 1950, and again from 1958.Gujarat has a sumptuary law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The legislation has been in force since 1 May 1960 when Bombay State was bifurcated into the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 is still in force in Gujarat state, however there is licensing regime in Maharashtra with granting licenses to vendors and traders. Gujarat is the only Indian state with a death penalty for the manufacture and sale of homemade liquor that results in fatalities. The legislation is titled the Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2009. The legislation was prompted by numerous deaths resulting from the consumption of methyl alcohol.

Predictably, smuggling and illicit sale of alcohol are very common. "Folder" is a slang term of unknown origin, used in Gujarat to refer to a bootlegger who delivers alcohol on-demand.

Foreigners and NRIs are able to purchase 30-day liquor permits.

On 24 August 2014, the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced, after a long persuasion from KPCC President V M Sudheeran, that state will implement prohibition in a phased manner. The decision was supported by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Kerala Congress. Liquor bars in Kerala had to renew licenses every year; the state government did not license any bar on 31 March 2014, resulting in the closure of 418 bars. The state government also declared its intention of not renewing licenses of the remaining 313 bars in the state next year. The state owned Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) has 338 shops, and Bevco will shut down 10% of them every year. Consumerfed, which has 46 shops, will also be closed. However, sale of alcohol will continue to be permitted in 5-star hotels, and there were fourteen 5-star hotels in the state as of August 2014.Toddy will also continue to be legally sold, and toddy shops will be permitted to operate as earlier. In 2016 new Chief Minister of Kerala said their studies show total ban is not applicable but they will enforce on regulating alcohol consumption. The proposed plan is to regulate alcohol consumption using Aadhaar cards to a maximum of 14 units per week, as studies show it decreases rising cancer risk and liver disease. This is an agenda of Government of Kerala to promote healthy living.

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