Gujarat eases liquor rules at GIFT City, scraps permits for out-of-state visitors; all you need to know

The Gujarat government has further eased liquor consumption rules at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), allowing any person from outside the state or foreign nationals to consume alcohol at designated hotels and restaurants by simply showing a valid photo identity card.

The state home department announced the changes through a gazette notification issued on December 20, doing away with the earlier requirement of obtaining a temporary permit for such “external persons” to consume liquor at the global financial hub in Gandhinagar.

Gujarat is a “dry” state where the manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor are prohibited under law.

However, the government made an exemption for Gujarat International Finance Tec-City in 2023, permitting the sale and consumption of alcohol within the central business district, subject to specified conditions.

Under the latest notification, any person who is not a resident of Gujarat, or a foreign national, can now consume liquor at designated facilities in GIFT City by producing a valid photo ID. This replaces the earlier system under which such visitors were required to obtain temporary permits.

The home department has also expanded the areas where liquor can be served and consumed.

Earlier, alcohol consumption was restricted to designated wine-and-dine areas of hotels or restaurants licensed to sell liquor within GIFT City. As per the revised rules, liquor can now also be consumed in other areas such as lawns, poolside spaces and terraces.

The notification further clarified that any person coming for food is allowed to sit in the wine-and-dine area of a restaurant, regardless of whether they intend to consume liquor.

Employees working in GIFT City who hold a “Liquor Access Permit” have also been given greater flexibility. Such permit-holding employees can host up to 25 visitors at a time at designated places and visitors would get "temporary permits", provided that the host employee accompanies them, the notification stated.