UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Prohibition is no solution to alcoholism: top court
Q1. The 2026 Supreme Court judgment observing that forced temperance is no solution to alcoholism, and striking down Maharashtra's methanol denaturation rules, was delivered by a Division Bench presided over by which one of the following judges?
- A. Justice J.B. Pardiwala, sitting with Justice K. Vinod Chandran
- B. Justice K. Vinod Chandran, sitting with Justice J.B. Pardiwala
- C. Justice Surya Kant, sitting with Justice J.B. Pardiwala
- D. Justice Sanjay Kumar, sitting with Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Q2. With reference to the 2026 Supreme Court decision in Balaji Formalin Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India, consider the following:
1. Its neutral citation is 2026 INSC 1009.
2. It was decided by a Division Bench of two judges.
3. The impugned provisions were held to violate Articles 14 and 19(1)(g).
4. The provisions struck down formed part of the Gujarat Prohibition Rules.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Its neutral citation is 2026 INSC 1009.
- It was decided by a Division Bench of two judges.
- The impugned provisions were held to violate Articles 14 and 19(1)(g).
- The provisions struck down formed part of the Gujarat Prohibition Rules.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q3. Rules 18A and 18B of the Maharashtra Poisons Rules, 1972, invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2026, principally mandated which one of the following?
- A. Addition of a chemical denaturant to ethyl alcohol before its transfer to any licensed country-liquor vendor in the State
- B. Addition of a colourant and a bitterant to methanol before its sale to a purchaser who is not a drug manufacturer
- C. Fortification of all industrial solvents with a fluorescent chemical tracer before their despatch outside the territory of the State
- D. Blending of rectified spirit with motor spirit before its supply by distilleries to the oil-marketing companies of the country
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the methanol rules struck down in 2026 and the regime the Court indicated in their place:
1. The two impugned rules were introduced in the aftermath of the 1991 Mumbai hooch tragedy, although the parent Poisons Rules themselves date to 1972.
2. While striking down the two rules, the Court simultaneously held that any State regulation whatsoever of methanol sale is constitutionally impermissible.
3. In place of the additive mandate, the Court commended supply-chain safeguards such as dedicated tankers, tamper-evident sealing of containers and reconciliation of stock records.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The two impugned rules were introduced in the aftermath of the 1991 Mumbai hooch tragedy, although the parent Poisons Rules themselves date to 1972.
- While striking down the two rules, the Court simultaneously held that any State regulation whatsoever of methanol sale is constitutionally impermissible.
- In place of the additive mandate, the Court commended supply-chain safeguards such as dedicated tankers, tamper-evident sealing of containers and reconciliation of stock records.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. The duty of the State to endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drinks and of drugs injurious to health is laid down under which one of the following provisions of the Constitution of India?
- A. Article 43, on living wage and conditions of work for workers
- B. Article 47, on nutrition, standard of living and public health
- C. Article 48, on organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry
- D. Article 39(e), on health and strength of workers and children
Q6. Under the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 as in force in Gujarat, the superintendence of the administration of the Act is vested in which one of the following authorities?
- A. The Commissioner of Police of the concerned commissionerate, functioning under the State Home Department
- B. The Collector of the district, functioning as the ex-officio Excise Commissioner for that district
- C. The Director of Prohibition and Excise, appointed by and subject to the control of the State Government
- D. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, acting through its designated State excise wing
Q7. Consider the following statements comparing prohibition regimes in different States and Union Territories of India:
1. Gujarat's prohibition rests on the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, inherited on the State's formation in 1960, whereas Bihar's present total ban dates only to 2016.
2. Mizoram's prohibition was enacted through the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1995, which was brought into force in February 1997.
3. Nagaland's prohibition was imposed by a Regulation of 1979, whereas Lakshadweep's rests on an Act of 1989.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Gujarat's prohibition rests on the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, inherited on the State's formation in 1960, whereas Bihar's present total ban dates only to 2016.
- Mizoram's prohibition was enacted through the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1995, which was brought into force in February 1997.
- Nagaland's prohibition was imposed by a Regulation of 1979, whereas Lakshadweep's rests on an Act of 1989.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q8. The Mumbai hooch tragedy of 1991, which prompted the insertion of the methanol-denaturation rules into the Maharashtra Poisons Rules, claimed approximately how many lives?
- A. About 33
- B. About 63
- C. About 93
- D. About 123
Q9. Consider the following pairs of hooch or spurious-liquor tragedy sites and their States:
1. Bhavnagar — Gujarat
2. Sagar — Madhya Pradesh
3. Botad — Rajasthan
4. Pimpri Chinchwad — Maharashtra
Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Bhavnagar — Gujarat
- Sagar — Madhya Pradesh
- Botad — Rajasthan
- Pimpri Chinchwad — Maharashtra
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 3 only
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q10. Consider the following statements comparing methanol and ethanol:
1. Methanol is metabolised in the body to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, whereas ethanol's metabolism yields acetaldehyde and then acetate.
2. Ethanol can itself serve as an antidote in methanol poisoning because it competes with methanol for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.
3. The blindness characteristic of methanol poisoning is caused by acetaldehyde acting on the optic nerve, while formate accounts for the intoxicating effect of ethanol.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Methanol is metabolised in the body to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, whereas ethanol's metabolism yields acetaldehyde and then acetate.
- Ethanol can itself serve as an antidote in methanol poisoning because it competes with methanol for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.
- The blindness characteristic of methanol poisoning is caused by acetaldehyde acting on the optic nerve, while formate accounts for the intoxicating effect of ethanol.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. Entry 8 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, the foundation of State liquor policy, is confined to which one of the following?
- A. All duties of excise on every alcoholic and non-alcoholic preparation manufactured or produced anywhere in the country
- B. The exclusive power to levy taxes on inter-State sales of alcoholic liquor meant for human consumption
- C. The entire regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances throughout the territory of India
- D. The production, manufacture, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors