India News | Oppn Objects, Mizoram Govt Defers Tabling of Bill to Amend Prohibition Law
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government in dry Mizoram, which was supposed to introduce a Bill in the assembly on Wednesday for allowing sale of locally manufactured beer and wine, deferred it following objection from opposition parties.
Aizawl, Mar 5 (PTI) The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government in dry Mizoram, which was supposed to introduce a Bill in the assembly on Wednesday for allowing sale of locally manufactured beer and wine, deferred it following objection from opposition parties.
The Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act or MLP Act, which imposes a blanket ban on the sale, manufacture and consumption of liquor, including wine and beer, was enacted by the previous MNF government in 2019.
The Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2025 was not tabled in the assembly on Wednesday following an appeal from opposition members, Speaker Lalbiakzama said.
He informed the assembly that the amendment bill has been deferred for presentation to another day during the ongoing session.
The Speaker said that leaders of the opposition MNF, Congress and BJP met him before the sitting of the House on Wednesday and sought deferment of introduction of the Bill as they required time to study it thoroughly.
The Mizo National Front (MNF) held a meeting, chaired by party president Zoramthanga, in which the leaders expressed disapproval of the bid to give relaxation to wine and beer sale by amending the existing Act, the party's media cell secretary Lallenmawia Jongte said.
The leaders present at the meeting observed that lifting the ban on wine and beer as a preliminary step will lead to lifting the ban on alcohol in the Christian-majority state, he said.
With the powerful churches and community-based organisations favouring a stringent prohibition law, Mizoram has been a dry state almost all the time since India's independence.
The MNF leaders also took strong exception to the government's decision to open liquor shops for certain persons through the state excise and narcotics department, he said.
An officer had on Tuesday said that the government would introduce a Bill in the assembly on Wednesday to amend a law, so that wine and beer manufactured from fruits and rice within the state are allowed for sale.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma had, however, said that his government would not lift the ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages under the existing Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019.
He had also said that churches have been consulted on the matter and they have given their consent to the decision.
The ZPM government in March last year informed the Assembly that it would review the state's prohibition law that banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the state except for certain areas.
There has been debate on various platforms that the existing prohibition law needs to be reviewed as Mizoram has limited sources of revenue and many people died of alcohol consumption despite it being a dry state.
Prohibition was reimposed in 2019 in Mizoram after a gap of four years when the MNF government notified an act on May 28 that year.
Though partial prohibition was in place, the state government allowed opening of wine shops in 1984 under the provisions of the Mizoram Excise Act, 1973 but those shops and bars were closed from 1987 and partial prohibition continued.
The Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act of 1995 was enforced on February 20, 1997, imposing a complete ban on liquor.
In January 2015, a new law was notified, that allowed wine shops to open in the state. After coming to power, the MNF changed the policy following its poll promise and moved towards the imposition of dry law again.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)