SC stays Patna HC order quashing liquor ban law in Bihar, prohibition remains

Supreme Court on Friday stayed the operation of the Patna high court judgement quashing the Bihar government’s law banning sale and consumption of all types of liquor in the state.

Supreme Court on Friday stayed the operation of the Patna high court judgement quashing the Bihar government’s law banning sale and consumption of all types of liquor in the state.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had brought in the liquor in May, fulfiling a poll promise he made while campaigning for the state assembly polls. A revised Prohibition Act was brought in on October 2, 2016. (File Photo)

Justice Dipak Misra and justice UU Lalit issued notices to all respondents, including some liquor manufacturers on whose plea the high court held the Nitish Kumar government’s prohibition law as illegal and unconstitutional, and posted the matter for hearing after eight weeks.

Read | Bihar brings in new law banning liquor consumption, will challenge HC order

The Bihar government challenged the high court verdict of September 30 which had quashed the notification banning the consumption and sale of liquor in the state.

However, after the law was set aside, the state government came out with a new law banning the sale and consumption of liquor which was notified on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti day.

Bihar was declared a dry state this April, with the state imposing complete prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol. Implementing the ban was chief minister Nitish Kumar’s major poll promise and had been pursuing it since taking office.