Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar is likely to amend the stringent Bihar prohibition act in order to prevent the misuse of its stringent provisions. He gave the indication while addressing a gathering in Patna on the occasion of international prohibition day on Tuesday.
“We don’t just make laws and forget about it we also review it. We have been receiving feedback from people. We have Supreme Court’s consent to bring changes to the law and 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,” chief minister Nitish Kumar said.
Though chief minister Nitish Kumar didn’t reveal details about the possible amendments he is likely to make, sources said that he has been getting feedback and complaints about the misuse of the act “because it is draconian in nature and people want leniency in the provisions of the act.
Prohibition, consumption and dealing or conniving to sell liquor was made a criminal offense under Bihar prohibition law which provides for imprisonment up to 10 years and a fine of more than Rs 1 lakh. The law was termed as draconian as it also has the provision to punish adult family members of the person caught consuming or possessing liquor in state.
