Bihar to implement liquor ban from today

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Indo-asian news service
Patna, Oct 1: A day after the Patna High Court struck down the liquor ban in Bihar, the state government is firm on going ahead with its plan to implement prohibition from Sunday, officials said Saturday. Before the high court pronounced its order Friday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led state government had already announced to implement the stringent new Bihar Excise & Prohibition Act, 2016, from Gandhi Jayanti October 2.
The state government is also set to file a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the high court order. “We are looking into the high court’s 150-page judgement and will approach the apex court soon,” Additional Advocate General Lalit Kishore said.
“The Bihar Excise & Prohibition Act, 2016 will come into force from October 2 and total liquor ban will continue in Bihar. The high court order was related to the old Act that came into force in April this year,” he explained.
He made it clear that the high court order would not impact the new Act, to be implemented from Sunday. According to him, both Houses of the Bihar legislature had passed the Act and it was formally approved by Governor Ram Nath Kovind. “There is no need for gazette notification. The state Cabinet has already taken a decision for its implementation from Oct 2.”
Legal experts pointed out that the new law has stringent provisions for ensuring a total ban on consumption of liquor in the state.
If it is implemented, all adult members of the family would be arrested if liquor is found stored in any household. Kumar had said that the new legislation is required to plug gaping holes in the previous Act that facilitated the liquor ban in the state with effect from from April.
The opposition BJP dubbed it a “black law” and a “draconian” measure. The party introduced a series of amendments but all were defeated by voice vote in the assembly during the discussion.