The department has asked all district superintendents to ensure that tipplers are issued permits to consume liquor within 24 hours after applying for them online.
They may be a legacy of a long-gone prohibition era, but the state excise department will ensure that they are granted to consumers within a day of applying for them. The department has asked all district superintendents to ensure that tipplers are issued permits to consume liquor within 24 hours after applying for them online.
Maharashtra is one of the few states with stringent excise laws where consumption, possession or transport of liquor without a permit issued on “health grounds” is an offence which can be punished with a fine or a jail term depending on its severity.
The department had launched a system to give out permits online on a pilot basis. “However, these were being cleared by the head office, which led to delays in approvals. We received complaints that while people could get permits in one day through the offline mode by visiting district offices, doing this through the online route took around a week,” said a senior state excise official.
This had led to the powers to issue these individual consumption permits to applicants being delegated to district superintendents. They have been asked to ensure that these are cleared within 24 hours of applying for them.
Officials and stakeholders admit that the enforcement of these “health permits” issued to drinkers for “preservation or maintenance” of health leads to harassment of drinkers by police and state excise personnel, especially those from lower ranks. The age restriction for consuming Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is 25 years while that for mild liquor like beer is 21 years.
Those who consume liquor can also hold an annual permit for Rs 300 and lifetime permit for Rs 1,000. Daily permits are available for Rs 5.
Critics say these permits are prohibition era relics when wine shops released fixed units of the brew to permit holders on health grounds. Maharashtra saw prohibition being imposed from 1949 to the 1960s, which led to the underworld get into bootlegging in parts of Mumbai and the state. However, restrictions on consumption of liquor were gradually eased over the years through the permit system still continues.
STRINGENT LAWS
Maharashtra is one of the few states with stringent excise laws where consumption, possession or transport of liquor without a permit issued on “health grounds” is an offence which can be punished with a fine or a jail term depending on its severity
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Liquor Bottles")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}