Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appears to be unfazed by the decision of the Patna High Court to scrap the older liquor law which had paved the way for imposing prohibition in the state. After the High Court termed the older liquor law as "illegal" and "unconstitutional", the Bihar government will be notifying the new prohibition law which is called Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 on 2nd October on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

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The new law is even more stringent in nature and has certain provisions due to which the opposition has been calling the new law as "draconian". The older law which was passed in March this year had certain lacunas because of which the persons who were found violating the liquor law got bail easily. In the older law there was provision of punishment from 10 years to life imprisonment if a person violated the liquor law.

Keeping this in mind, a new liquor bill was drafted by the Bihar government in July this year which was more stringent in nature. This new Bill called the Bihar Prohibition & Excise Bill, 2016 was passed by the both the houses of the state assembly during the monsoon session of the Assembly. In early September, the Governor Ram Nath Kobind signed this bill and provided his assent to notify the Act.

NEW LAW EXTREMELY HARSH



This new Bill has few provisions which has caused severe panic and fear in the minds of the people of the state. The most important provision which has been added in the new bill is that all the adult members of the family would be arrested and sent to jail if liquor was found in the house. Another provision which is in the new bill is of imposing collective fine on villages or a locality if they are found to be repeatedly flouting the liquor law. When compared, the older law was milder but the new law is extremely harsh.

"This new law which will be introduced on 2nd October is draconian in nature and therefore we have been opposing it. It is like a Talibani law which Nitish Kumar will be implanting tomorrow", said Sushil Modi, senior BJP leader.

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However, the government despite facing a setback at the hands of the Patna High Court on Friday, is determined to notify the new law on Sunday in order to ensure that prohibition continues in the state. A special cabinet meeting has been convened by the state govt on Sunday to notify the law. It may be noted that the Nitish Kumar in the last six month has been touring across the country with the prohibition plank and trying to build a national leader image for himself ahead of 2019 general elections.

"The new law which was announced by Nitish Kumar to be notified on 2nd October will happen. Prohibition may be a political stunt for others but it an exercise for social revolution for us. We will not confront with the judiciary", said Ajay Alok, JDU Spokesperson.

Technically, after the older law was scrapped on 30th September and new law to be notified on 2nd October, there is no liquor law in place on 1st October. However, there is a possibility of the Bihar govt confronting the judiciary after the new liquor is notified on Sunday.

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