Citing ‘dry’ Gujarat, Supreme Court says prohibition does not end alcoholism, tragedies

The Supreme Court listed five “evils” associated with prohibition — loss of tax revenue; implementation expenses and money well spent; police and excise corruption; illegal distillation; and the resulting drug threat. File. | Photo credit: The Hindu

Enforced abstinence is not the solution to alcoholism, the Supreme Court said in its ruling, pointing to the consistent failure of Gujarat, a “dry state” with a strict prohibition policy, to prevent chicken tragedies and the deaths of hundreds of people.

“The state of Gujarat has witnessed at least 10 major mass tragedies since statehood and independence, claiming the lives of more than 600 people. Despite the state of Gujarat following a strict prohibition policy since its inception in 1960, hooch (lattha laced with methanol) tragedies quickly led to serious public health crises,” Benjamin said.

A total ban on alcohol will only succeed in driving the liquor trade underground, increasing the prevalence of unregulated, deadly brews, the court said.

“The recent tragedies at Bhavnagar in Gujarat and Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, which claimed around 13 and 15 lives respectively, are yet another reminder to the authorities to wake up and act,” Justice Pardiwala said in the judgment delivered on Friday (September 18, 2026).

The court cited five “evils” associated with prohibition — loss of tax revenue; implementation expenses and money well spent; police and excise corruption; illegal distillation; and the resulting drug threat.

The court was hearing a challenge to Rules 18A and 18B of the Maharashtra Poisons Rules, which restrict the purchase of methanol and mandate the addition of a bitter substance and dye to methanol before sale to a non-medical manufacturer. The rules came into force after the deaths of 93 out of a total of 250 people who consumed fake liquor bought at Chhaya Bar in Mumbai in 1991. It was later discovered that they had consumed methanol, which was nothing short of poison.

The court found the Rules unconstitutional and arbitrary. They placed a heavy financial burden on the industry and did not address the main problems that led to the tragedies, including theft, diversion and institutional corruption.

The bench issued a series of directions, including the need to break the chain of supply and demand of liquor and increased vigilance at inter-state borders to help check illegal movement of liquor.

The court noted how many municipal school campuses, which are vacant land, are often used as warehouses for illegal liquor. It also advised governments to monitor industrial units that manufacture chemical solvents and illegally sell them to liquor manufacturers. Further, transportation of methanol must be done in dedicated tanks or containers to eliminate the possibility of theft or confusion, the apex court said.

Published – 19 Sep 2026 18:03 IST