Bihar mulls changes in liquor law; state law minister Pramod Kumar says no proposal yet

PATNA: The prohibition and excise department is considering some changes in the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 though state law minister Pramod Kumar on Friday said his department has not received any such proposal yet.
Though Promod told TOI that “no authentic paper or proposal has come to the department for consideration”, additional chief secretary (home) Chaitanya Prasad confirmed that inter-departmental consultation was held on the issue.He, however, refused to reveal the details. But TOI has in its possession a copy of the proposals for amendments under consideration.
The amendments, under the title ‘Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022’, are proposed keeping in view at least 15 hooch deaths in Saran district in the last three days, close on the heels of at least 13 deaths from consumption of spurious liquor in Nalanda district earlier this week. The state government is also mooting some changes in the liquor law in light of the observations made by the Chief Justice of India that the law was enacted without considering its practical ramifications on the courts which have been clogged with liquor law cases in Bihar.
One of the proposals is that people caught consuming liquor or intoxicant at home or outside or found drunk or under the influence of any intoxicant for the first time be let off on payment of fine to be notified by the state government. Failure to pay the fine will invite simple imprisonment of one month. However, it will not be applicable on repeat offenders, who will invite additional penalty or imprisonment or both.