No more alcohol ban in Bihar? Prashant Kishor vows to revoke ban ‘in first hour' if he wins election. Politics behind liquor explained

Ahead of the assembly election in the Indian state of Bihar, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor made a huge poll promise to revoke the alcohol ban in the dry state. Kishor's party announced that if it comes to power, it will lift the ban, which, Kishor claimed, could unlock substantial financial resources for the state. The party claimed that due to the liquor ban in Bihar, the state lost nearly ₹28,000 crore. Kishor's party said the money could be used to secure loans worth ₹5–6 lakh crore from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Liquor ban in Bihar: When and why

Nitish Kumar, the present chief minister of Bihar, banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state in April 2016. The CM linked the ban to women’s welfare, emphasising that alcohol abuse had the greatest negative impact on the women at home.

Soon, the liquor ban became the centre of law-and-order politics in one of the most politically important states of India. The JDU leadership framed it as a demonstration of strict governance, highlighting raids, confiscations, and crackdowns on smuggling networks as proof of enforcing the “rule of law.”

'Will revoke in just an hour'

Making the bold promise, Kishor said he will revoke the liquor ban within an hour if his party forms the next government in Bihar.

"The liquor ban will be lifted within an hour once we come to power. There is no real liquor ban in Bihar. There is a law in place that has shut down liquor shops and started home delivery,” said Kishor earlier.

Meanwhile, other prominent politicians in the state gave their review on the matter, as the former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi said that there should be a review of the policy, as it targets only the poor section of the society, while the wealthy smuggle alcohol.

“Poor people, if caught consuming even 250 ml of alcohol, are prosecuted, whereas those involved in large-scale smuggling are let off," Manjhi said.

Moreover, RJD's top leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “Any question that arises should be discussed with the people and government officials before a decision is taken."

What do the data show?

As per a study published in The Lancet Regional Health: Southeast Asia in May 2024, the liquor ban in Bihar led to a significant reduction in its consumption and around 2.4 million cases of daily and weekly drinking were eradicated.

The ban also contributed to a decrease of around 2.1 million cases of intimate partner violence, including reductions in emotional and sexual abuse against women.

What’s the bad side of the ban?

Experts have raised that the liquor ban in the largely the most economically backward state of India had an economic impact.

Also, the ban fueled the production and consumption of illicit alcohol, commonly referred to as “hooch".

What are other Indian states doing?

In Gujarat, there has been a strict alcohol ban since 1961. The policy restricts both sale and consumption. Apart from the government ban, some communities have developed their own way to deal with the matter on a local level. For instance, Khambela village imposes fines of ₹21,000 for alcohol consumption, among other bans, with fines up to ₹1 lakh.

Meanwhile, in Mizoram, a full alcohol ban was imposed in 2018 to curb domestic violence and public disorder.