Mizoram to issue liquor permits on medical grounds under amended prohibition law

The Mizoram government has decided to issue special permits allowing individuals to possess and consume India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) on medical grounds under the provisions of the amended Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, officials said on Wednesday, June 3.

According to a notification issued by the State Excise and Narcotics Department on Tuesday, eligible applicants whose medical conditions warrant the consumption of liquor will be granted 'Red Card' permits under Section 45B(1) of the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2025.

Officials said application forms for the permit are available at excise and narcotics offices across all districts of the State. The permit will remain valid for one year and will be issued on payment of a fee of Rs 5,000.

The provision comes following amendments made to the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019 by the State Assembly in March last year. The amendments were passed despite opposition from opposition parties.

Besides permitting liquor consumption on medical grounds, the amended law also allows the issuance of special liquor permits to dignitaries as well as domestic and foreign tourists.

The legislation further permits the manufacture, sale and supply of local wine and fruit beer produced exclusively from locally grown agricultural and horticultural products, including ginger, banana, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, gooseberry, guava, starfruit, sugarcane, jackfruit, watermelon and honeydew melon.

Mizoram has remained a dry state since the enactment of the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019 during the tenure of the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government, which imposed a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, consumption and import of liquor and other alcohol-related substances.