Bihar: Nitish Kumar to introduce amendment law on liquor ban

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said his government will present an amendment law on the liquor prohibition act in the upcoming monsoon session.

Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that the ban has brought significant improvement in the state, however, the bill 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 arm before an injection is administered. There are some people in our society who indulge in illicit liquor trade," Nitish said at a function organised by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar police on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Tuesday.

"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 added.

Further talking about the plans to raise the issue in monsoon session of the state assembly, Kumar said: "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."

Liquor ban was enforced in Bihar in April 2016.

(ANI)