Bihar prohibition law

The law is an example of what effect dragnet laws can cause. It resulted in courts reeling with bail cases and yet, legisprudence and demosprudence seem indifferent to how the laws they make will work in life.

Bihar came under total prohibition in April 2016. This was part of an abstemious chief minister’s social reform programme. He may as well have said: “Will no one rid me of these drinkers.” The government went into overdrive to get the state legislature enact a draconian law called the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. Under this law, sentences are disproportionately harsh, police has power to arrest even people drinking privately at home, confiscate their properties and also detain all adults of the family present, including non-drinkers.