Gujarat govt eases liquor permit norms for GIFT City employees and visitors

Gandhinagar: In a significant policy shift, the Gujarat government has amended liquor permit conditions for the GIFT City area, further liberalizing rules under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949. The Home Department, through a notification dated April 15, 2025, 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 seeking liquor access must now directly submit Form A-1 to an Authorized Officer, bypassing the previously mandatory “Recommending Officer” role. Once verified, a Liquor Access Permit card will be issued and shared with the authorized person(s) and the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise. These employees can also recommend up to five visitors at a time via Form A-2, but they must accompany the visitors in designated Wine and Dine areas.

It is noteworthy that the Authorized Officer refers to the officer approved by the Managing Director of GIFT City.

The Recommending Officer refers to the HR Head, PRO, or responsible officer of a company/organization/unit situated in the GIFT City area, who is approved by the Authorized Officer of GIFT City.

The new rules also allow permit holders—both regular and temporary—to participate in “Group Permits” within GIFT City. Definitions for “Temporary Permit” and “Group Permit” have been clarified, while the role of the Recommending Officer has been officially removed from the framework. These changes are seen as part of the state’s calibrated approach to attract global talent and businesses while maintaining regulatory oversight.

The Gazette notification also includes the prescribed Form A-1 and Form A-2. DeshGujarat