Mizoram Wine & Alcohol Regulation: An Analysis On The Policy Of Government

Hmingthanpuii Ralte, Asst.Professor, Govt. Mizoram Law College

K. Lalnuntluanga, LLM, Govt. Mizoram Law College

Hmingthanmawii Ralte LLM, Govt. Mizoram Law College

ABSTRACT

Government changes and the policy towards the regulation of wine and alcohol also undergoes a changes in Mizoram. Prior to British annexation of India, Mizo people have a unique style of living before the influence of English Christian Missionaries in 1894. One of the distinctive features of the society was that, liquor/ rice beer was consider an integral part of the society and served in almost all the important occasions like marriage, completion of harvesting in a year, festivals, successful hunting and any other important occasion of the society. With the impact of christainity most of the culture was transform, including the way of dressing, eating and consuming liquor and making rice wine was consider as anti Christian behavior and unholy. Many protests were made to prohibit the sale of liquor in Mizoram which was supported by the most influential pressure group like YMA and the churches. The Mizoram Liquor (Total Prohibition) Act, 1995 was pass that came into force on 1997 and make the state a totally dry state. With the emergence of the Congress ministry, The Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition & Control) Act, 2014 was implemented from 2015, this act make a provision for selling and manufacturing of liquor in the state but when the Mizo National Front won the election in 2018, The Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019 replace the previous act of 2014 and Mizoram become a dry state again. The 2019 act allows the sale of grape wines that are manufacture and harvest purely in Mizoram with little alcohol content from 10% to 14%. The selling of grape wine contributes a decent amount of government revenue of the state. In the present scenario, the state of Mizoram need a systematic procedure for the selling of liquor with a more stringent punishment of the drunkard who have done activities against the limit of the act. Keeping in mind the contribution in the government revenue made by the regulation of sales of liquor, the law maker needs to amend the law for orderly execution.

Keywords: Grape wine, Liquor, Revenue, Act, dry state, Christianity.