NDA allies call for review of Bihar’s liquor policy: 'Implementation flawed'

Bihar imposed total prohibition in 2016 when Nitish Kumar was heading the Mahagathbandhan government.

• NDA allies urge Bihar CM to review liquor prohibition policy
• Concerns raised over enforcement flaws and rising fiscal losses
• Demand for tougher measures against corruption in enforcement agencies

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Calls to revisit Bihar’s nearly decade-old liquor prohibition have resurfaced within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with allies pressing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reassess the policy amid mounting fiscal stress and enforcement concerns.

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi told ANI that the idea of prohibition itself was sound but its implementation had been deeply flawed. “We have long maintained that the liquor policy is not wrong and prohibition should continue. However, there are serious gaps in enforcement,” he said.

Manjhi alleged that while small offenders were being arrested, large-scale smugglers were escaping action through bribery. “Enforcement officers are catching minor violators, while those involved in organised smuggling are being let off after taking money. Nitish Kumar should intervene. Prohibition is leading to heavy financial losses for the state, and corrective steps are needed,” he told ANI. He also called for stricter action to curb corruption within enforcement agencies.

Bihar imposed total prohibition in 2016 when Nitish Kumar was heading the Mahagathbandhan government. Since then, enforcement has resulted in over 8.43 lakh cases and nearly 12.8 lakh arrests, according to earlier reports. Despite the scale of action, concerns about the law’s economic and social impact have intensified.

Before the ban, Bihar generated more than Rs 3,000 crore annually in excise revenue from liquor sales, according to a report by Times of India. Now, with new welfare measures — including cash transfers for women, enhanced pensions and electricity subsidies — expected to cost upwards of Rs 28,000 crore, the state’s strained finances have reignited debate within the NDA over whether the policy remains sustainable. Bihar’s fiscal deficit stood at 9.2% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) last year.

Adding to the chorus, Madhav Anand of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha urged a comprehensive review of the law in the Assembly. “It has been ten years since prohibition was enacted. We need a detailed assessment of what the state has gained and lost,” he said, alleging that liquor remains easily available through illicit channels and that substance abuse among youth has increased.

The renewed debate signals growing unease within the ruling coalition over the long-term viability of one of Bihar’s most politically significant policy decisions.