Aizawl: Despite being a dry state, the Mizoram government has introduced a provision allowing certain individuals to legally consume India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) on medical grounds through a special permit known as the "Red Card", officials said on Wednesday.
The Excise and Narcotics Department, in a notification issued on Tuesday, stated that the permits would be granted under Section 45B(1) of the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2025.
The facility is intended for applicants whose medical conditions justify the possession and consumption of liquor.
According to officials, application forms for obtaining the permit are available at the Excise and Narcotics Department offices in all districts of the state.
The Red Card permit will be valid for a period of one year and will be issued upon payment of a fee of Rs 5,000.
The provision follows amendments made to the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019, which were passed by the state assembly in March last year despite strong objections from opposition parties.
Apart from the medical permit, the amended legislation also provides for special liquor permits to be issued to dignitaries as well as domestic and foreign tourists visiting the state.
The revised law further permits the production, sale and distribution of local wine and fruit beer made exclusively from agricultural and horticultural produce grown within the state.
These include ginger, banana, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, gooseberry, guava, starfruit, sugarcane, jackfruit, watermelon and honeydew melon.
: YMA, churches join hands to intensify fight against drug menace in Mizoram
The original Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019, enacted during the tenure of the Mizo National Front (MNF) government, had imposed a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, consumption and import of liquor and other alcoholic products in the state.