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Alcohol laws of India
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The legal drinking age in India and the laws which regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol vary significantly from state to state.[1] In India, consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the states of Bihar, Gujarat and Nagaland [2] as well as the union territory of Lakshadweep. There is a partial ban on alcohol in some districts of Manipur.[3] All other Indian states permit alcohol consumption but fix a legal drinking age, which ranges at different ages per region. In some states, the legal drinking age can be different for different types of alcoholic beverage.
In spite of legal restrictions, alcohol consumption in India has risen over 55% over a period of 20 years (according to OECD figures).[4][5]
Contents
1 Law
2 Legal drinking age by States/UTs
3 Drunk Driving Law
4 Dry Days
4.1 Dry Days by States/UTs
4.1.1 Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
4.1.2 Delhi
4.1.3 Jammu and Kashmir
4.1.4 Kerala
4.1.5 Karnataka
4.1.6 Maharashtra
4.1.7 Rajasthan
4.1.8 Tamil Nadu
4.1.9 West Bengal
5 See also
6 References
Law[edit]
Alcohol is a subject in the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.[6][7][8] Therefore, the laws governing alcohol vary from state to state.
Liquor in India is generally sold at liquor stores, restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, clubs and discos. Some states, like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, prohibit private parties from owning liquor stores making the state government the sole retailer of alcohol in those states. In some states, liquor may be sold at groceries, departmental stores, banquet halls and/or farm houses. Some tourist areas have special laws allowing the sale of alcohol on beaches and houseboats.
Home delivery of alcoholic beverages is illegal in Delhi.[9] However, in Delhi home delivery of beer and wine by private vendors and departmental stores is permitted.
Legal drinking age by States/UTs[edit]
The following list is incomplete. Please help complete the list by providing references
State/UT
Drinking Age
Remarks
Andaman and Nicobar Islands 21[10]
Andhra Pradesh 21[10]
Arunachal Pradesh 21[10]
Assam 21[10]
Bihar Illegal Total ban on all alcohol since April 4, 2016[11]
Chandigarh 25[12]
Chhattisgarh 21[10]
Dadra and Nagar Haveli 25
Daman and Diu 25
Delhi 25[13][14]
Goa 18[10]
Gujarat Illegal Non-Residents of Gujarat can apply for limited Liquor Permits. Banned since 1960.[15]
Haryana 25[10] The Punjab Excise Act, which also extends to Haryana, prohibits establishments from employing "women in any part of such premises in which such liquor or intoxicating drug is consumed by the public".[16] Section 30 of the Punjab Excise Act has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of India on December 12, 2007, which was responsible for not allowing women to work in such premises.[17]
Himachal Pradesh 18[18]
Jammu and Kashmir 18[19][20]
Jharkhand 21[10] Only licensed bars and state government licensed shops can sell alcohol.
Karnataka 21 Arrack has been banned in Karnataka since 1 July 2007.[21][22]
Kerala 23 Kerala government has planned to implement prohibition of hard liquor in 10 years.[23][3]
Lakshadweep Illegal[10] Consumption is legal only on the island of Bangaram.[24]
Madhya Pradesh 21[25]
Maharashtra 18 (wine)
21 (beer)
25 others
In Maharashtra for drinking, a person should carry a liquor license obtained from Govt.Civil Hospital. Some districts have made a total ban on alcohol.
Manipur Illegal[10] Partial prohibition since 2002[26]
Meghalaya 21[27]
Mizoram 21[citation needed] Seventeen year prohibition lifted in 2014.[28]
Nagaland Illegal[2] Sale and consumption illegal since 1989.[29]
Odisha 21[30]
Puducherry 18[10]
Punjab 25[31] The Punjab Excise Act prohibits establishments from employing "women in any part of such premises in which such liquor or intoxicating drug is consumed by the public".[16] Section 30 of the Punjab Excise Act has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of India on December 12, 2007, which was responsible for not allowing women to work in such premises.[17]
Rajasthan 18 [32]
Sikkim 18[33]
Tamil Nadu 21[10]
Telangana 21[citation needed]
Tripura 21[citation needed]
Uttar Pradesh 21[34] Section 22 [34]
Uttarakhand 21[10]
West Bengal 21
Drunk Driving Law[edit]
The blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit is 0.03%[35] or 30 µl alcohol in 100 ml blood.[36]
On 1 March 2012, the Union Cabinet approved proposed changes to the Motor Vehicle Act. Higher penalties were introduced, including fines from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 and imprisonment from 6 months to 4 years. Different penalties are assessed depending on the blood alcohol content at the time of the offence.[37]
Dry Days[edit]
Dry Days are specific days when the sale of alcohol is not permitted. Most of the Indian states observe these days on major national festivals/occasions such as Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).[38] Dry days are also observed on and around voting days.[39][40]
Dry Days by States/UTs[edit]
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana[edit]
Month
Date
January 26 (Republic Day)
August 15 (Independence Day)
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.[41]
Delhi[edit]
Every excise year, the Government of Delhi, notifies the number of Prohibited days in a year. The three national holidays — January 26, October 2 and August 15, are always prohibited days, and additional prohibited days are announced at the start of the excise year (1 July).[42]
Month
Date/Festival
January 26 (Republic Day)
February 12 (Maharishi Dayanand Jayanti), 16 (Guru Ravidas Jayanti, 24])
March Holi, Mahavir Jayanti†
April Good Friday, Mahavir Jayanti†
May 29 Buddha Purnima†
June Buddha Purnima†
August 15 (Independence Day), Krishna Janmashtami†
September Krishna Janmashtami†
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti), Dussehra, Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, Diwali†
November Diwali†, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Guru Tegh Bahadur Martydom Day
†Festival date may be in either month.
In addition to the above the following days are also prohibited days:
Ram Navami
Maha Shivratri
Eid al-Adha
Eid ul-Fitr
Muharram
Milad un Nabi
prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.[43]
Jammu and Kashmir[edit]
Jammu
Month
Date/Festival
August 15 (Independence Day), Krishna Janmashtami†
September Krishna Janmashtami†
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
November Guru Nanak Jayanti
†Festival date may be in either month.
In addition to the above the following days are also prohibited days:
Ram Navmi
Maha Shivratri
Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.
Prohibited days can also be declaered on such days not exceeding three days during a year as may be declared by the State Government
Kashmir
Month
Date/Festival
August 15 (Independence Day), Krishna Janmashtami†
September Krishna Janmashtami†
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
†Festival date may be in either month.
In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:
Maha Shivratri
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Zuha
Eid-e-Milaad
Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.
Prohibited days can also be declared on such days not exceeding three days during a year as may be declared by the State Government.[20]
Kerala[edit]
Month
Date
January 1 26 30 (Martyrs' Day)
February 1
March 1
April 1
May 1
June 1, 26
July 1
August 1,15 Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti†
September 1, Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti†, Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi
October 1, 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
November 1
December 1
†Date may be in either month.
During elections, are observed the day of the vote, the day before the vote, and during vote counting.
Sundays are no longer observed as Prohibited days in the state.[44][45]
Karnataka[edit]
Gandhi Jayanti (October 2),[46] and also prohibited days are announced when elections are held in the state.
Maharashtra[edit]
This list may vary depending on the date of festivals as well as specific Prohibited day announcements by the Government of Maharashtra.
Month
Date/Festival
January 26 (Republic Day), 30 (Martyrs' Day)
May 1 (Maharashtra Day)
June Ashadi Ekadashi†
July Ashadi Ekadashi†
August 15 (Independence Day)
September Anant Chaturdashi
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti), 8 (Vinayak Badagi Birth Day)
November Kartiki Ekadashi
†Festival date may be in June or July.
Prohibited days are designated on election days, plus the two days before and after the vote, and the day(s) of the count, plus one day before and one day after the counting days.
The district collector can also designate any day as a Prohibited day by giving seven days notice.[47]
Rajasthan[edit]
Month
Date/Festival
January 26 (Republic Day), 30 (Martyrs' Day)
March Mahavir Jayanti†
April Mahavir Jayanti†
August 15 (Independence Day), Krishna Janmashtami†
September Krishna Janmashtami†
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
†Festival date may be in either month.
In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:
Maha Shivratri
Harijan Day
Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.
Tamil Nadu[edit]
Month
Date
Festival
January 15 (16 Leap year) Thiruvalluvar Day
January 26 Republic Day
January (February) Vadalur Ramalinga Adikalar Jothi
February Maha Shivaratri
April Prophet Birthday (Nabigal Nayagam)
April (March) Mahavir Jayanti
May 1 May Day
August 15 Independence Day
October 2 Gandhi Jayanti
December Eid al-Mawlid (Milad-un-Nabi)
Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.[48]
West Bengal[edit]
Month
Date/Festival
January 26 (Republic Day)
August 15 (Independence Day)
October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)
In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:
On the day of Muharram
Dol Jatra only till 14 hours of the day
However no dry day rule is applicable for 5 star hotels, clubs and resorts in West Bengal. Drinks may be served and consumed in those places in West Bengal even on "dry days". Private consumption too is allowed on the said "dry days". Only the open sale of liquor at restaurants, liquor shops and other permitted places is disallowed on those days.
For Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha elections, Prohibited days are declared for 48 hours prior to the close of voting, plus during the counting day(s). For Municipality, Panchayat, Municipal Corporation, or Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council elections, Prohibited days occur on the polling day, the previous day, and the counting day(s).[49]
See also[edit]
Prohibition in India
References[edit]
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