The Tamil Nadu government has mandated stringent quality testing across all distilleries in the state to ensure alcohol content compliance. This decision follows public concern over the temporary ban and swift clearance of products from a private manufacturer, Enrica Enterprises, by the state's liquor monopoly, TASMAC. The move aims to address suspicions and ensure public safety regarding alcoholic beverages.
The Bombay High Court strongly criticised the Pune administration's decision to ban alcohol sales for 10 days during the Ganesh festival, questioning why Pune was singled out for such restrictions while other regions were not. The court deemed the blanket ban arbitrary and stigmatising for Pune residents, urging the administration to withdraw the order or face judicial intervention.
Since Bihar implemented its liquor prohibition law in April 2016, over 1.7 million people have been arrested for offences related to alcohol consumption and sale. The state's Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department reports high conviction rates and significant revenue collection despite the ban.
The Bihar government has rejected demands to review its prohibition law, which has been in place for a decade, despite concerns raised by members of the ruling NDA about financial losses to the state.
Voters are weighing a stark trade-off -- between preserving a socially driven policy and reversing course to revive revenue, restore fiscal balance, and rein in the underground liquor economy.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party reiterated its promise to scrap the liquor ban in Bihar if elected, planning to use the revenue to secure loans from international financial institutions.
As the election nears, political positions on prohibition are shifting.
A research paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) recommends that Bihar revoke its alcohol ban, citing its failure to reduce violence against women and a rise in illicit drug and alcohol consumption. The report suggests that reinstating the liquor excise tax would significantly increase state revenues and decrease enforcement costs.
Two individuals have died and 19 others have been hospitalised in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district after consuming spurious liquor. Authorities have detained four bootleggers and are investigating the source of the duplicate Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottles, which are believed to have originated from Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat is a dry state where alcohol is banned.
'The prohibition regime has been accompanied by concerns regarding the expansion of the illicit liquor trade, increased enforcement challenges and corruption, and the growing use of alternative intoxicants, including illicit drugs.'
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Thiruvananthapuram Division has seized 943 kg of narcotic substances valued at Rs 54.98 crore in 108 cases between January and September this year. These efforts are part of Operation NARCOS, a nationwide initiative to prevent the railway network from being used for drug trafficking. The RPF also detected cases involving banned tobacco products and IMFL during the same period.
Two police constables were arrested in Gopalganj, Bihar, for allegedly selling liquor. The constables, along with a private individual, were found in possession of 333 litres of IMFL. Both constables have been suspended, and departmental action has been initiated.
A police constable has been arrested in connection with the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy, which has claimed 13 lives in Gujarat. This brings the total number of arrests to 39, as investigations reveal the constable's links to the prime accused and his involvement in the offence.
Pune police busted a party named 'Project X' in Tulapur village, booking over 70 individuals for drug and liquor violations. The raid led to the seizure of ganja, banned smoking products, and liquor worth Rs 85 lakh, with some attendees being underage.
The Excise department in Thane seized 73,440 bottles of Goa-made Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 1.89 crore from a truck on the Panvel-Mumbra highway. The liquor, lacking batch numbers and MRP, is banned for sale in Maharashtra, leading to the driver's arrest under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.
Eleven people have died and 54 others fallen ill after consuming spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. A preliminary investigation suggests the illicit liquor was supplied from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have suspended three excise officials and two police personnel, and multiple FIRs have been registered as a probe is underway.
A clash occurred between Excise & Prohibition Department officials and GRP personnel at Katihar railway station in Bihar over a liquor raid, resulting in injuries and investigations by both sides.
The death toll due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district went up to 13 on Sunday after two more victims succumbed during treatment, officials said.
Maharashtra excise department seized Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufactured in Goa, valued at Rs 1.43 crore, in Thane city and arrested two persons.
Seven people have died and 30 others are hospitalised in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district after consuming spurious liquor. Police have detained 12 bootleggers and registered an FIR against 21 individuals. The victims reportedly consumed illicit liquor from duplicate bottles of an IMFL brand, with preliminary investigations suggesting the supply originated from Madhya Pradesh.
Gujarat Police have arrested 13 additional individuals, including a man from Madhya Pradesh identified as Anand Chhandi, for their involvement in the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy that claimed 13 lives. Chhandi is accused of playing a significant role in manufacturing the methanol-laced spurious liquor and procuring chemicals, bringing the total arrests to 27.
Police have begun enforcing the liquor ban across Kerala in the wake of the state high court ratifying the state government's new liquor policy.
A spurious liquor tragedy in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district has resulted in eight deaths and left 61 persons affected, with 25 still undergoing treatment. Police have arrested 13 individuals in connection with the incident, which involved methanol-laced alcohol sold under a popular brand name. The State Monitoring Cell is investigating the source and distribution network of the illicit brew.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has ordered the closure of 717 retail liquor outlets across the state, responding to public demand, particularly from women and political parties.
The death toll in the East Champaran hooch tragedy has risen to nine, prompting arrests and a special investigation into the consumption of spurious liquor in the Turkauliya and Raghunathpur areas of Motihari.
Assam Police arrested three individuals in two separate operations for allegedly smuggling banned Yaba tablets and illegal liquor, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praising the successful busts.
Uttar Pradesh police seized over 710 cartons of Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth approximately 1.20 crore in Chandauli, arresting two smugglers attempting to transport the contraband to Bihar, where alcohol is banned.
The Nitish Kumar-led government prohibited liquor in the state on April 5 this year, making it the fourth dry state in the country after Gujarat, Kerala and Nagaland.
"We respect the Supreme Court order. We will take suggestions from legal experts to see whether there can be a middle path," Sharma said.
Pune Police raided a late-night party in Tulapur village, finding over 150 attendees, including underage individuals. They seized ganja, banned hookah flavours, and liquor worth approximately Rs 85 lakh, with legal action initiated against the organisers.
Hundreds of kilometres of national and state highways in states like Maharashtra, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and others have turned into local, municipal or district roads, just a few days after a Supreme Court order banning liquor sale along highways.
An ex-serviceman A N Singh filed the PIL in the Patna high court, a day after the Nitish Kumar ministry declared Bihar a total dry state.
The party was floated exactly two years after Kishor had embarked on a more than 3,000-km-long 'padayatra' of the state.
"Yoga is a natural treatment process but liquor addicts cannot perform it. Yoga would be irrelevant unless a ban is imposed on sale of liquor across the country," the Bihar CM said at meeting in Palamau district.
Mizoram has long maintained one of the country's strictest prohibition regimes.
A senior CPI-M leader said there is no comparison between Sangh Parivar's demand for a complete ban on beef and Catholic Church's call for a ban on liquor.
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The Bihar government has challenged the high court verdict of September 30 which had quashed the notification banning consumption and sale of liquor in the state.
Jan Suraaj Spokesperson and one of the key architects of the Party, Pavan Verma, levelled serious allegations that funds from the World Bank meant for some other project were diverted for the Bihar Assembly elections by the central government and distributed to women voters in the state.
He said the government was also planning to bring uniformity in the height and facade of all buildings along the Grand Road.
