New prohibition law comes into effect in Bihar

NEW DELHI: Two days after the Patna High Court quashed the amendments made under Section 19(4) of the Bihar Excise and Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 2016, Bihar government announced to bring the new prohibition law—the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016—which came into force across the state from Sunday.

Meanwhile, the government has also decided to move Supreme Court against the Patna High Court order quashing the April 5 notification, which had paved the way for amendments in the old law to enforce total prohibition. The state Cabinet passed a resolution dedicating the new law to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his birthday.

The new law has stringent provisions to enforce total ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in Bihar.

Opposition parties, particularly BJP, has already targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for placing enormous powers in the hands of district officials, excise department and police for enforcing prohibition under the new law. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was apparently in an embarrassing situation after the Patna High Court judgement on his move to enforce prohibition in Bihar, chaired a meeting of the state Cabinet on Sunday afternoon. The court has termed amendments made by the state government in the old law to enforce prohibition as unconstitutional.