Bihar liquor ban: Nitish Kumar govt to amend act to prevent its misuse

PATNA: The liquor prohibition law in Bihar, which has brought significant improvement in the state, will be further amended to make it more efficient. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that the amendment in the Bihar liquor ban legislation will end the scope for abuses of the law.

"I have just learned about the deaths of four persons in Begusarai. Investigations have revealed that they consumed surgical spirit, which is rubbed on the arm before an injection is administered. There are some people in our society who indulge in illicit liquor trade," Nitish said on Tuesday.

The Janata Dal-United leader, who heavily criticised for implementing the liquor ban in the state, said this at a function organised by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26.

"Such incidents are not the failure of prohibition, but a result of the polluted mentality of a few persons. Our officers should publicise such incidents so that people could take lesson and refrain from consuming alcohol," he said.

Nitish further informed that the proposed amendment to the liquor ban law will be brought in the Monsoon session.

The Chief Minister said that the government has obtained the Supreme Court's permission in this regard and a team has been constituted to study the other aspects of the liquor prohibition. 

"We have Supreme Court's consent to rectify the law. A team has formed to properly analyse the details of prohibition. The sole aim is to impose prohibition in a proper manner so that people get benefited from it."

It is to be noted that the liquor ban was enforced in Bihar in April 2016.