Alcohol laws of India

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 Gujarat, Manipur, Mizoram , Kerala and Nagaland,^[2] as well as the union territory of Lakshadweep. Kerala is implementing prohibition in phased manner. All other Indian states permit alcohol consumption but fix a legal drinking age. In some states, the legal drinking age can be different for different types of alcoholic beverages.

Law

Alcohol is a subject in the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.^[3][4][5] 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.

Delhi

Home delivery of alcoholic beverages is illegal in Delhi.^[6] However, Delhi permits home delivery of beer and wine by private vends and departmental stores. The sale of beer at departmental stores, banquet halls and farm houses, is legal in Delhi.^[6]

Legal drinking age

The following list is incomplete. Please help complete the list by providing references

State/UT	Drinking Age	Remarks
Andaman and Nicobar Islands		It is illegal to sell or supply any liquor to Andamanese, Nicobarese or any other Scheduled Tribes.
Andhra Pradesh	21 [7]
Arunachal Pradesh	21[8]
Assam	21
Bihar	21[7]
Chandigarh	25[9]
Chhattisgarh	21
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Daman and Diu
Delhi	25[10]
Goa	18[7]
Gujarat	Illegal	Non-Residents of Gujarat can apply for limited Liquor Permits.
Haryana	25	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".[11]
Himachal Pradesh	18[12]
Jammu and Kashmir	21[13][14]
Jharkhand	21
Karnataka	18[15] (Arrack has been banned in Karnataka since 1 July 2007.)[16][17]
Kerala	21[18]	Arrack is banned in Kerala since 1996.[19] Drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 in July 2011. Starting 1 April 2015, liquor will only be sold at 5-star hotels. Toddy will continue to be sold as before.[20]
Lakshadweep	Illegal	Consumption is legal only on the island of Bangaram.[21]
Madhya Pradesh	21
Maharashtra	No limit (wine)[22] 21 (beer) 25 (Other)[22]	In Maharashtra for drinking a person should carry a liquor license obtained from Govt.Civil Hospital. The drinking age is 30 years in Wardha district.[23]
Manipur	Illegal
Meghalaya	25[24]
Mizoram	Illegal[25]
Nagaland	Illegal[2]	Sale and consumption illegal since 1989.[26]
Orissa	21[7]
Pondicherry	18
Punjab	25[27]	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".[11]
Rajasthan	21
Sikkim	18[8]
Tamil Nadu	21[7]
Telangana	21 [7]
Tripura	21
Uttar Pradesh	18
Uttarakhand	21
West Bengal	21[24]

Drunk Driving Law

The blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit is 0.03%^[28] or 30 µl alcohol in 100 ml blood.^[29]

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.^[30]

Nationally Prohibited Days

Prohibited 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).^[31] Prohibition days are also observed on and around voting days.^[32][33]

Prohibited Days by State

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Month	Date/Festival
January	7, 26 (Republic Day), 30 (Martyrs' Day)
February	7
March	8, Holi
April	7, Good Friday
May	7
June	7
July	7
August	7, 15 (Independence Day)
September	7
October	2 (Gandhi Jayanti), 7, Dusshera
November	7
December	7

In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:

• Muharram
• The last working day of a calendar month.
• The day of poll and proceeding two days in all General elections, By-Elections to Lok Sabha, Municipal Board and Panchayat.
• Any other day the Government may by notification declare to be a Prohibited day.

Source: Andaman and Nicobar Excise Department

Andhra Pradesh

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.

Source: Andhra Pradesh Beverages Corporation Ltd.

Delhi

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).^[34]

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.

Source: Department of Excise, Entertainment and Luxury Tax

Jammu and Kashmir

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

Source: THE JAMMU & KASHMIR LIQUOR LICENSE & SALE RULES, 1984

Kerala

Month	Date
January	1 26 30 (Martyrs' Day)
February	1
March	1
April	1
May	1
June	1
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.^[35]

Source: Official web site of Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited

Karnataka

Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) is the only Prohibited day in Karnataka.^[36]

Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.

Maharashtra

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 (End of Prohibition Week/Chetan Jayanti)
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) the 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.

Source: Maharashtra State Excise

Rajasthan

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

Month	Date/Festival
January	Tiruvalluvar Day, Republic Day
March	Mahavir Jayanti†
April	Mahavir Jayanti†
May	1 (May Day)
August	15 (Independence Day)
October	2 (Gandhi Jayanti)

†Festival date may be in either month.

In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:

• Vallalar Jothi Day
• Milad un Nabi
• Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state.

Source: Tamil Nadu Prohibited day list – 2013 : Kosukadi

West Bengal

Month	Date/Festival
January	26 (Republic Day)
March	Second day of Holi†
April	Mahavir Jayanti†
August	15 (Independence Day)
October	2 (Gandhi Jayanti), Dusshera (Bijaya Dashami)‡

†Festival date may be in March or April.
‡From 15 hours of the day

In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days:

• On the 9th and 10th day of Muharram
• Eid ul-Fitr
• Eid al-Adha
• Second Day of Durga Puja (Maha Ashtami Day)
• Dol Jatra
• Kali Puja (From 15 hours of the day)
• 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).

Source: Department of Excise, West Bengal

See also

• Prohibition in India

References