Guidelines Issued By Gujarat Government Regarding Liquor Consumption In Gandhinagar’s GIFT City

A week or so after easing the restrictions on liquor consumption in Gandhinagar’s Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) area, the state government on Saturday released a list of guidelines that must be followed by any establishment that wishes to serve alcohol, be it a restaurant, bar, or hotel. Some regulations are even designed with their clients in mind.

Here’s a brief on the liquor guidelines

Any unit located in GIFT City that wants to apply for a FL-III licence must submit Form “A” to the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise in Gandhinagar. Following thorough investigation, the proposal and the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise will be forwarded to the GIFT Facilitation Committee for a suitable conclusion, via the Director. The government stated in a Gazette statement on Saturday that the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise will issue the license in Form FL-III following approval by the Committee.

Liquor must only be served by the licensee in the designated “Wine and Dine” facility area. The “wine and dine” establishment requires a security deposit of Rs 2 lakh along with an annual payment of Rs 1 lakh to obtain a liquor permit.

“The licence can be issued for a period of one to five years initially. Subsequently, it can be renewed for up to five years at a time. The fees for the F.L.-III licence shall be Rs 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh) only per annum and the security deposit shall be Rs 2,00,000/- (Rupees two lakh) only,” the notification read.

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Who can access liquor in the area

“The licensee/Liquor Access Permit/ Temporary Permit holder shall comply with the provisions of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949,” it added. These permits will be issued to those who have attained 21 years of age. The recommending officer shall prepare a list of employees desiring to obtain the Liquor Access Permit and shall send the same to the Authorized Officer.

“The Authorized Officer, shall send the approved list to Authorized Person(s); Superintendent of Prohibition & Excise and Recommending Officer. The Authorized Officer shall issue Liquor Access Permit cards on the basis of the approved list of employees and send the same to Recommending Officer,” it said.

In a similar vein, the Recommending Officer is responsible for compiling a list of visitors who wish to acquire a temporary permit. It said that at the wine and dine area, such visitor(s) must be accompanied by one Liquor Access Permit holder of the concerned firm, organization, or unit.

The duration of the liquor access permit is two years, renewable once every two years. The annual permission fees have to be paid in the amount of Rs 1000. Meanwhile, it stated that the permit will be revoked if the person quits their job at the business, association, or division located in GIFT City.