List of States in India With “Prohibition of Liquor/Alcohol” In Force

However, Prohibition of Liquor/Alcohol is in force in Full Or in Part, only in the following States and Union Territories of India as on date:

• Gujarath/Non-Residents of Gujarat can apply for limited Liquor Permits
• Karnataka/ Arrack is banned since 1st  July 2007
• Maharashtra(For drinking in Maharashtra,  a person should carry a liquor license obtained from Govertment Civil Hospital. The drinking age is 30 years in Wardha district.)
•  Manipur ( Enforced in Parts of the State -Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts of Manipur, from 1st April 1991)
• Meghalaya
• Nagaland
• Punjab and Haryana/ 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”.
• Union Territory of Lakshasweep. (However, Consumption of Liquor/Alcohol is Allowed in the Island of Bangaram of the Lakshadweeps) 
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands (It is illegal to sell or supply any liquor to Andamanese, Nicobarese or any other Scheduled Tribes.)
• Kerala ( Planning to Implement Prohibition of Liquor in a Phased Manner since April 2015) Arrack is banned in Kerala since 1996.  Drinking age in Kerala was raised from 18 to 21 in July 2011.  From  1st  April 2015, liquor will only be sold at 5-star hotels. However, toddy will continue to be sold as before.

In all the other States and Union Terrritories in India, Prohibition of Liquor is not in force and the following is a list of Minimum Age For Drinking in various States of India:

State/ Union Territory/Drinking Age

• Andhra Pradesh /21    
• Arunachal Pradesh/21   
• Assam /21    
• Bihar/21
• Chandigarh /25
• Chhattisgarh /21    
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli     /25   
• Daman and Diu     /25   
• Delhi /25   
• Goa /18    
• Haryana /25    
• Himachal Pradesh /18   
• Jammu and Kashmir /21
• Jharkhand /21    
• Karnataka /18
• Kerala/21
• Madhya Pradesh /21    
• Mizoram /21   
• Orissa /21    
• Puducherry/18    
• Punjab /25   
• Rajasthan/21    
• Sikkim/18    
• Tamil Nadu /21
• Telengana /21    
• Tripura/    21    
• Uttar Pradesh /18
• Uttarakhand /21    
• West Bengal /21

• Independence Day/15th August
• Republic Day/26th January
• Gandhi Jayanthi/02nd October  and

On and around the Election Days

In all the States in India

And

Some of the Religious Festival Days in various States such as:

• Holi
• Diwali
• Good Friday
• Dusserrah
• Muharram
• Milad un Nabi
• Ramzan
• Mahavir Jayanthi
• Sri Rama Navami
• Guru Nanak Jayanthi
• Buddha Poornima
• Krishn Janmashtami
• Maha Siva Rathiri
• Vallalar Jothi Day
• Thiruvalluvar Day

However, service of liquor in licensed bars, 5 Star hotels, clubs and restaurants is permissible even on dry days except on three national holidays.

As mentioned above, the State Government  of Kerala  has planned to implement the prohibition of liquor/alcohol in a phased manner.

However, the Supreme Court of India is hearing a ‘stay petition’ on the implementation of prohibition in the state of Kerala.

See again the Article 47 of the Constitution of India reading:

  “The State shall endeavor to bring about Prohibition of the use (of Alcohol) except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.”

Will the’ Father of the Nation’ -Mahatama Gandhiji’s Dreams, especially on “Complete Prohibition of Liquor/Alcohol” in India come true?