Amendments to prohibition law passed in Bihar Assembly

The Bihar Assembly passed a bill on Monday to amend some of the stringent provisions of the prohibition law in order to prevent its misuse and make the quantum of punishment proportionate to the nature of offence.

The Opposition, which was seeking the declaration of Bihar as "drought-hit" since morning, continued to press their demand in the postlunch session and staged a walkout, while the House took up the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2018 for consideration.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed surprise over the opposition walkout as all the parties had given a unanimous support when prohibition was introduced in the state and participated in a massive human chain formed last year against the liquor menace, reports PTI.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Tejashwi Yadav later told reporters that no amount of law-making on prohibition would have any meaning unless the government was able to give a guarantee that liquor would not be available in the state.

The fact was that the illicit liquor trade, as in Gujarat, was thriving in Bihar under the patronage of some ruling coalition leaders, with the connivance of the police and administration, he alleged.

Kumar, however, told the House that the charge that prohibition had failed as illicit liquor was still being seized and people were being caught consuming alcohol was misplaced.

"Murders are committed, despite a law against it. That does not mean the law has failed. What is needed is greater social awareness," he said.