New Delhi: Ladakh’s newly approved liquor policy has triggered a political and social controversy, with the Union Territory administration defending the move as a measure to curb drug abuse while critics argue it could worsen addiction-related problems.
The policy, approved by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, liberalises the region’s excise regime by allowing the sale of hard liquor, including foreign liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), through retail outlets. Previously, only beer, wine and ready-to-drink beverages could be sold through such outlets.
According to officials, the earlier restrictive policy created an “artificial scarcity” of liquor, which allegedly encouraged the consumption of smuggled alcohol and narcotic substances. The administration maintains that wider availability of regulated alcoholic
beverages, particularly low-alcohol-content options, could help address growing dependence on narcotics and psychotropic drugs in the region.
However, the move has drawn strong opposition from Ladakh’s Lok Sabha MP Haji Hanifa Jan, who questioned the logic behind the policy. He argued that introducing easier access to alcohol in an effort to combat drug abuse amounted to replacing one harmful habit with another.
Some organisations in the state said making alcohol more accessible was unlikely to reduce drug abuse and could instead create additional social and health challenges. It further claimed that its views had been misrepresented during consultations on the policy.
Beyond expanding liquor sales, the new excise policy introduces several reforms. Liquor consumption will now be permitted within hotel premises, including guest rooms, and retail sale of liquor has been allowed in guest houses and homestays for the first time. The administration has also reduced the number of documents required for obtaining an excise licence from 16 to six and removed the requirement for district administration clearance.
The Ladakh administration has described the policy as a significant reform aimed at balancing public convenience, tourism promotion, revenue generation and regulation of the liquor trade. Officials say the changes were introduced after consultations with civil society organisations, religious groups, public representatives and government officials.