07/06/2026
||Liquor Ban Lifted in Lakshadweep After 47 Years, Sparks Local Opposition.
The Union Territory administration of Lakshadweep has repealed a liquor prohibition that had been in place since 1979, paving the way for the issuance of liquor permits to businesses and hospitality establishments across the islands. The move marks a significant policy shift after 47 years and has generated strong opposition from sections of the local population.
The liquor ban was originally introduced under the Lakshadweep Liquor Prohibition Regulations in response to demands from local residents seeking to preserve the islands' cultural and social traditions. While alcohol had previously been permitted at select tourist resorts on the uninhabited Bangaram Island, the new policy expands the scope for licensed sale and consumption in other parts of the Union Territory.
Critics, including community leaders and residents, have expressed concerns that lifting the ban could adversely affect the predominantly Muslim island society and alter its cultural character. Similar attempts by the administration to relax liquor restrictions in recent years faced public resistance and were eventually withdrawn.
Supporters of the decision argue that the policy will help boost tourism, attract private investment, and support the development of hospitality infrastructure in Lakshadweep, a group of 36 islands in the Arabian Sea known for its beaches and coral reefs.
The development is expected to remain a subject of debate as local groups continue to voice concerns over its social and cultural implications.
