- Doctors can prescribe alcohol for medical use under Mizoram's new Red Card permit system
- The permit requires certification by a doctor and verification by health authorities
- Excise and Narcotics Department grants approval and the card is valid for one year
A doctor's prescription can now legally get some residents access to alcohol in Mizoram, one of India's few states under prohibition.
The Mizoram government has introduced a special 'Red Card' permit, allowing individuals to possess and consume liquor on medical grounds under strict conditions.
The permit can only be issued after a registered doctor certifies that alcohol is required as part of a treatment plan. The recommendation must then be verified by health authorities before approval is granted by the Excise and Narcotics Department.
The card is valid for one year and carries a Rs 5,000 annual fee, apart from the application charge. Permit holders can purchase only approved quantities of liquor and are barred from consuming alcohol in public places.
The provision comes under amendments to Mizoram's prohibition law, which continues to ban alcohol for the general public while creating limited exceptions for medical use.
A doctor's note can now legally permit what remains prohibited for everyone else.
Officials, however, say the system is far from a loophole. Despite the buzz surrounding the announcement, no applications had been received in the initial days after the scheme was rolled out, government sources added.
