India, April 3 -- On April 5, 2016, Bihar embarked on an ambitious and morally charged experiment, complete prohibition. Conceived as a transformative social reform aimed at curbing alcohol abuse, empowering women, and fostering public health, the policy was hailed as a bold assertion of political will. Ten years on, however, the moment calls less for celebration and more for introspection. Has prohibition delivered on its promises, or has it unravelled into a complex web of unintended consequences?

The origins of this policy lie in the political churn of 2015, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, responding to sustained demands from women's groups, pledged to enforce a complete ban on alcohol if returned to power. True to his word, the gov...