Patna HC criticises Bihar’s alcohol ban

The Patna High Court has observed that the  alcohol prohibition law in Bihar has given rise to unauthorised trade of liquor. The court while overturning the demotion of a police inspector, who was accused of negligence under Bihar’s Excise Prohibition Law, criticised the Bihar's prohibition law's unintended consequences.

In its observation, the Patna High Court added that while the law was passed with the objective of improving public health, "for several reasons, it finds itself on the wrong side of the history".

The court was hearing a plea moved by an Inspector who was penalised by demotion after Rs 4 lakh worth of "illicit foreign liquor" was recovered in Bihar from a godown, in a raid conducted by the excise department of Bihar. The godown was located close to the petitioner's jurisdictional police station.

The Inspector was charged with being negligent in the implementation of Bihar's Excise Prohibition Law.