According to the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, a liquor permit is required for the purchase, possession, transport, and consumption of liquor in Mahatashtra - the only state in India to have such a requirement. Anyone over 25 is eligible for a permit, which is issued under Rule 70-D of the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953.
Mukherjee's suggestion came after the state government appointed Accenture in August to take a hard look at several archaic laws that are cramping the hospitality industry and threatening to snuff out the city's nightlife. The state government has identified seven departments - home, excise, energy, urban development, revenue, tourism and labour - whose rules need to be studied and updated. Of these, the excise department's rules require the biggest changes. Accenture will take on board the commissioner's recommendations before submitting a final draft to the Maharashtra Tourism Department Corporation (MTDC), which is spearheading the project.
A senior excise official said, "In our recommendations, we have demanded the complete abolishment of the drinking permit, though we are still in favour of licenses for various other needs. The drinking permit requirement is an archaic law and doesn't fit the current framework. Maharashtra is the only state in the country where one needs a permit to drink alcohol."
According to the sources, in his letter to Accenture, the commissioner pointed out that the drinking permit was brought into existence for consumers who were recommended alcohol for health reasons. Mukherjee's letter went on to say that most people nowadays drink alcohol as part of their lifestyle, not for any particular health benefits, and that the permit therefore serves no purpose.
Mukherjee told Mirror, "As a part of the exercise, we have made certain recommendations to Accenture before they prepare a final draft. We have submitted our study and have recommended certain changes that we think can help. But the final decision rests with the government."
He added, "Accenture has called is for a one-day workshop with various department representatives to discuss the various issues each department is facing. We have also recommended having online applications for permits to benefit the hospitality industry."
Hoteliers welcomed Mukherjee's stand. "We hope the government wakes up and does away with such pointless licenses. These are outdate laws that don't match present requirements," said Shakti Bhure, owner of Facing East restaurant in Juhu.
A senior excise source said that the department had writted to the government a few years ago, asking them to do away with the permit system. However, a few activists stepped in and prevented this for happening. "Now that the government has decided to amend old laws, the drinking permit definitely has to go," he added.
INDUSTRY'S DEMANDS
♦ Scrap drinking permit requirement
♦ Do away with two-bottle rule in the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953, which says that an individual can posses only two bottles of liquor (750 ml each) in a week
♦ Fix minimum drinking age at 21 for beer and hard liquor. The drinking age is 18 for beer and 21 for hard liquor.
♦ Do away with illogical area use ratio, which specifies that in a restaurant, the bar area cannot take up more than 49% of space available.
(Story by Urvashi Seth)
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