NEW DELHI: The strict prohibition law does not appear to have deterred the consumption and supply of liquor in Bihar, according to data provided in the Supreme Court by the state government showed that around 50% of the cases filed under the 2016 legislation were registered in the last year and a half.
Ordered by the high court to place data on the cases registered during the seven years of the law and the handling of the cases, the state government submitted an affidavit informing the court that more than 4.7 lakh cases were pending under the law. Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act2016.
Appearing before a bench of judges Sanjay kishan kaul and Sudhanshu DhuliaChief lawyer Ranjit Kumar, representing the state, said 74 special courts, which were set up to exclusively deal with offenses under the prohibition law, had started functioning and the rate of case resolution had increased in the past year and a half.
According to the affidavit, the total cases registered since 2016 was 6.6 lakh, out of which 3.2 lakh cases were filed in the last year and a half.
The dismissal rate increased when the state changed the law last year to allow first-time offenders charged with consuming liquor to be released after paying a fine. Under the amended law, failure to pay the penalty would invite a prison sentence of one month.
“It is stated that 74 special excise courts are operating in all districts of Bihar state as of January 2022. These special courts are conducting trials and disposing of cases in very high numbers,” the affidavit said.
“Regarding the latest data, the total number of cases registered since the entry into operation of the special courts is 3,25,081, and the total number of trials concluded is 1,87,692. Such data reveals that the trials are being completed with a time limit since the formation of the special courts,” he added.
Ordered by the high court to place data on the cases registered during the seven years of the law and the handling of the cases, the state government submitted an affidavit informing the court that more than 4.7 lakh cases were pending under the law. Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act2016.
Appearing before a bench of judges Sanjay kishan kaul and Sudhanshu DhuliaChief lawyer Ranjit Kumar, representing the state, said 74 special courts, which were set up to exclusively deal with offenses under the prohibition law, had started functioning and the rate of case resolution had increased in the past year and a half.
According to the affidavit, the total cases registered since 2016 was 6.6 lakh, out of which 3.2 lakh cases were filed in the last year and a half.
The dismissal rate increased when the state changed the law last year to allow first-time offenders charged with consuming liquor to be released after paying a fine. Under the amended law, failure to pay the penalty would invite a prison sentence of one month.
“It is stated that 74 special excise courts are operating in all districts of Bihar state as of January 2022. These special courts are conducting trials and disposing of cases in very high numbers,” the affidavit said.
“Regarding the latest data, the total number of cases registered since the entry into operation of the special courts is 3,25,081, and the total number of trials concluded is 1,87,692. Such data reveals that the trials are being completed with a time limit since the formation of the special courts,” he added.