Bihar government may tweak or remove particularly stringent rules on liquor ban.
Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, has finally decided to drop some of the most controversial parts of his liquor ban policy.
The Bihar government may tweak or remove particularly stringent rules like the arrest of all adults in a house where liquor is found and community fines.
Ministers and officials have confirmed that amendments are expected soon; it is not clear whether the liquor ban law will be amended in the assembly session that started on Friday.
Officially, the state Excise Commissioner, Amir Subhani, said nothing is final.
The excise department is studying suggestions that came up in an all-party meeting recently and another meeting of lawyers and workers in charging of implementing the ban that was imposed earlier this year.
The opposition says Nitish Kumar is "desperate" to bring changes because the Supreme Court will take up the case soon.
The top court is likely to hear next month the Bihar government's challenge to the High Court ruling that cancelled the prohibition law. Days after that verdict in October, the state government announced a new law that included all the controversial provisions of its predecessor, including community fine, confiscation of premises, personal punishments - both physical and monetary - and arrest for drinking or storing liquor.
More than 16,000 people have been arrested in Bihar since the sale of liquor was banned in April.