Gandhinagar:
After a marathon debate that stretched from afternoon into the night, the Gujarat assembly has again passed a bill proscribing the maximum of death penalty for those trading in spurious liquor.
The Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment) Act 2009, was first passed in July after a liquor tragedy left 136 people dead. Governor SC Jamir had then returned the bill with his objections.
Minister of State for Home Amit Shah presented the bill again on the second day of the assembly session on Friday, insisting that the provision of death sentence must stay to instil fear in the minds of those whose moonshine kill.
The bill was passed at the end of a lengthy debate amid opposition from the Congress.
Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil pointed out that death sentence can be given only under article 302 of the Indian Penal Code and not article 304, under which life sentence is possible.