Bihar: SC stays Patna High Court's order striking down liquor ban in state

The Supreme Court on 7 October stayed Patna High Court's order that struck down the state government's 5 April notification banning the sale of liquor earlier.

The Bihar government on 3 October moved the Supreme Court against the Patna High Court's order on liquor ban in the state.

The High Court had termed the notification "unconstitutional, draconian and unwarranted" in a civilised society.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 2 October said the liquor ban will be reinforced in the state, and if needed, his government will approach the Supreme Court on the matter.

Nitish said the Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act 2016 came in force from Sunday, adding total liquor ban will continue in the state.

He said the financial condition of the people has been strengthened and behavioural social change across the state is being seen after the imposition of the liquor ban.

Asserting that liquor consumption is a social stigma, Nitish said that prohibition will improve society.

The Chief Minister added that one should see how peaceful the environment has become in some villages after prohibition was introduced, adding there was utter chaos earlier.

The Patna High Court earlier on 30 September declared the liquor ban in Bihar illegal.

The new Act re-imposed by the state government contains harsher provisions such as making all adults culpable in case a liquor-related offence is committed in a house and imposition of community penalty in case of repeated offence of manufacturing liquor or trading in it in a village.

Some of the old provisions that will find place in the new law are penalising someone for allowing the use of premises for a liquor-related offence, penalising a company and everyone in charge of its affairs if the offender is a company, and fining the owner of a house from where utensils meant for making liquor are found.

--With ANI inputs