The Supreme Court gave time till July 31 to liquor manufacturers and sellers in Bihar to dispose of their stock outside the state. The Nitish Kumar government had banned liquor sale and consumption in Bihar from April 1, 2016.
A vacation bench of the apex court headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta extended the time limit from May 31 to July 31 to dispose of old stocks, including raw material, lying in their ware houses.
It has been submitted by the Confederation that the existing stock of liquor is of value of almost Rs. 200 crore and the firms be allowed to dispose of the stock in other states where liquor is not banned.
The apex court heard the submissions and arguments made by Kapil Sibal, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court and counsel appearing for the state of Bihar Keshav Mohan.
Mohan told the apex court that there was illegal trade going on in the state and no extension should be given
Several liquor manufacturers approached the apex court seeking an extension of the May 31 deadline for moving liquor stocks out of the state.
Earlier on May 21, the apex court refused to extend license of four liquor companies in Bihar.
The apex court has also asked the Patna High Court to constitute a bench and hear the matter in a time bound manner and dispose it by May 10.
The four liquor companies had knocked the doors of the top court, seeking an extension of their licenses and hear their pleas.
The Bihar Government had in January moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of plea against the liquor ban legislation from the Patna High Court.
Alcohol companies had earlier moved the Patna High Court against the liquor ban.
The new legislation, banning sale and consumption of alcohol, including Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) as well as spiced and domestic liquor, prescribes harsher punishment for possession and consumption of alcohol.
In December 2016, terming prohibition as a “revolutionary step”, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had claimed that the move has promoted communal harmony in the state, with members of all religions supporting the liquor ban.
The liquor ban has also substantially lowered rate of crimes like murder, kidnapping and riots in the state, he had said. “Cases of murder have gone down by 24 per cent between April to November this year when compared to the same period last year.”
