Govt eases liquor permit rules within the GIFT City

GANDHINAGAR : The Gujarat Government has announced further relaxations in the implementation of prohibition of liquor permits on the GIFT City campus. Now, employees and visitors of various companies working in GIFT City will be allowed to consume alcohol under more liberal rules, officials said.

In a major policy shift, the Gujarat government has amended liquor permit conditions for the GIFT City area, further liberalising rules under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949.

The Home Department, through a notification dated April 15, replaced certain clauses in its earlier December 2023 order, giving more control to companies and employees over liquor access and visitor permits.

Under the revised norms, employees working in GIFT City companies seeking liquor access may now directly submit Form A-1 to an authorised officer, bypassing the previously mandatory ‘Recommending Officer’ role. According to companies, this is a significant relief for employees and visitors.

Once verified, a ‘liquor access permit’ card will be issued and shared with the authorised person and the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise. These employees can also recommend up to five visitors at a time through Form A-2, but they must accompany the visitors in designated wine and dine areas.

Sources explained that the authorised officer refers to the officer approved by the managing director of GIFT City, while the ‘recommending officer’ refers to the HR head, PRO or responsible officer of a company in the GIFT City area, who is approved by the authorised officer of GIFT City.

The new rules also allow both regular and temporary permit holders to participate in ‘group permits’ within GIFT City.

The most significant change is the official removal of the recommending officer’s role from the framework. All these changes are seen as part of the state’s approach to attract global talent and businesses while maintaining regulatory oversight.