Alcohol prohibition in India

States with alcohol prohibition

Alcohol is prohibited in the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Nagaland.[1] All other Indian states and union territories permit the sale of alcohol.

The directive principles of state policy (DPSP) in the constitution of India (article 47) state that "....the State shall endeavor to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health".[2] The Directive Principles are not-justiciable rights of the people but fundamental in the governance of the country. It shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making policy laws per Article 47. Per Article 38, state and union governments, as duty, shall make further detailed policies and laws for implementation considering DPSPs as fundamental policy.

National prohibition was advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, as well as by many Indian women.[3] Prohibition in the states of India that have implemented the policy has led to lower rates of drinking among men, as well as a decreased incidence of violence against women.[4]

  1. ^ "States with total and phase-wise prohibition of alcohol in India". The Indian Express. 6 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ Thekaekara, Mari Marcel (13 November 2017). "Indian women are pleading for prohibition". New Internationalist.
  4. ^ Luca, Dara Lee; Owens, Emily; Sharma, Gunjan (May 2015). "Can Alcohol Prohibition Reduce Violence Against Women?". American Economic Review. 105 (5): 625–629. doi:10.1257/aer.p20151120.