Liquor ban in Jammu & Kashmir: What politicians say?
A bill seeking a complete ban on the sale of alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir which was moved by a PDP politician from north Kashmir has garnered support from various parties.
The bill was moved by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Kupwara Fayaz Ahmad Mir who has sought a complete prohibition on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir.
Various politicians and members of civil society have expressed dismay over the impact of liquor on youth, and impressed upon lawmakers to stand against increasing use of alcohol and bring law to ensure its complete ban in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mir submitted the three-page bill to the assembly secretariat on February 10, 2025 (Monday), the final day for members to present bills before the session. This session marks the first budget presentation under the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, which took office in October last year after six years of central rule.
The proposed bill aims to prohibit the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and production of alcoholic beverages in the Union Territory.
In his statement of objectives and reasons, Mir emphasized the need for strict regulations, stating, “The rise in use of alcoholic drinks is an ascending curve and this is largely due to insensitivity to deal with the issues in a holistic manner… If this trend of using alcohol is not checked at this point of time, it will prove disastrous for the society as such strict law on the subject is inevitable,” reads the bill.
The bill also calls for severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violators.
NC lawmaker & MLA Lal Chowk, Ahsan Pardesi
After PDP legislator Fayaz Ahmed Mir from Kupwara, National Conference (NC) MLA Ahsan Pardesi has submitted a private member bill in the Assembly, seeking a complete ban on alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir.
Both legislators argue that banning alcohol is essential to preserve Kashmir’s cultural and religious values, emphasizing that its consumption contradicts the region’s deep-rooted Sufi-Reshi traditions.
J&K Congress extends support
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has expressed strong support for bills aimed at banning alcohol in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior vice president of the JKPCC, G.N. Monga, told Greater Kashmir that the Congress party would back the bills proposed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) MLAs.
“In light of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural and religious landscape, known for its deep-rooted Sufi traditions, and the rising drug addiction crisis, there is the need for strict legislation to address the growing concerns related to alcohol consumption,” Monga said. He said that the party would support the bill.
Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, J&K Congress
Senior politician and Congress MLA from Bandipora, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat on Wednesday said that the party considers liquor as a social evil and that they will assess the contents of the proposed bill when it is formally proposed in the assembly.
Addressing reporters in Bandipora, Bhat said the bill proposed by National Conference MLA Ahsan Pardesi calling for a liquor ban is a private members’ bill, rather than an official proposal from the National Conference.
“This is not a National Conference bill; it is most likely a private member’s bill. It remains to be seen whether or not the bill will be passed. It is within the jurisdiction of the Speaker and the Assembly Secretariat, and they will examine it,” Bhat stated.
He emphasized the private nature of the bill, saying, “First, this is not a party or government bill but a private member’s bill. Second, the contents of the bill are not yet known. Third, if the bill is entertained, we will debate it accordingly.”
Bhat further clarified the Congress Party’s stance on the issue, explaining that liquor is viewed as a national issue, not a local one. “As far as the Congress Party is concerned, liquor is a national issue and not a local issue. Congress has always been clear about the issue, considering it a social problem and an evil,” he said. He noted that the party would assess the contents of the bill when it is formally proposed and would address it at that time. “We won’t cross the bridge before it’s built,” he added.
MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami
CPI(M) senior leader and MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami, has said that the numbers are not a problem for the liquor bill to become law in the Assembly.
“We don’t have our own constitution and we can’t amend the constitution of India so the liquor ban bill requires only a simple majority to pass in the Assembly. It is not a constitutional amendment. The numbers don’t seem to be a problem for the bill to become law,” Tarigami told Greater Kashmir.
Tarigami however said that it needs to be seen whether the bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Assembly. “There is a set procedure and the procedure is that the bill is first introduced and then put up for discussion before being put to vote. If the bill will be in the business of the House in the upcoming Assembly session, we need to see how the government replies to it. But when it comes to numbers and voting, I don’t think that there would be a problem,” he said.
BJP’s Darkhshan Andrabi
Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) senior leader and chairperson Waqf J&K Dr Darakhshan Andrabi also supported introducing a bill in the assembly seeking a ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If law is implemented, it will be a good step,” BJP leader said.
She expressed concern over the growing drug addiction among the youth.
“We need to protect young people from drug abuse, stressing that efforts should be made to keep them away from such harmful substances,” she added.
It is pertinent to mention that alcohol is prohibited in the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Nagaland, and the union territory of Lakshadweep. Some districts of Manipur also have a partial ban on alcohol.
The alcohol prohibition in parts of India is based on cultural, social, and political factors, which has led to lower rates of drinking among men, and a decreased incidence of violence against women.
The sale of alcohol is banned on national holidays like Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti.
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