JD(U) leader and MLC Neeraj Kumar. File.
Days after Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi raised concerns over the implementation of Bihar’s prohibition law, demanding enforcement of the liquor ban along the lines of the Gujarat model, the JD(U) on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) said there was no question of reviewing the law, which was introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, implemented in April 2016, bans alcohol manufacture, sale, and consumption in the State.
The JD(U), which is an alliance partner in the NDA government in the State, said the prohibition law has improved the human index of Bihar on different parameters and was appreciated by top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Talking to PTI on Tuesday (August 11, 2026), senior JD(U) leader and MLC Neeraj Kumar said, “There is no question of review of the prohibition law which was implemented during the tenure of our leader Nitish Kumar. I must say that prohibition law has brought significant changes in the lives of rural women. Not only that, the prohibition law, which was implemented in the State by the then CM Nitish Kumar, was even appreciated by PM Modi.” Mr. Manjhi had recently highlighted the loopholes in the implementation of the prohibition, and said that the law in this regard should be streamlined on the Gujarat model.
“Due to flaws in the law’s implementation, moral lapses are increasing. I would urge Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to consider implementing the Gujarat model of prohibition in Bihar,” he said.
According to reports, a recent research paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) concluded that prohibition causes significant revenue losses to the state exchequer, and that lifting the ban could boost state revenue by 14 to 15 per cent.
The report titled ‘Macro perspective of Bihar’s development achievements: Unfinished agenda and the way forward’, released during India Policy Forum last week, stated that the liquor prohibition law in Bihar has led to “an increase in liquor trade, bootlegging, and higher consumption of alternative intoxicants.” Meanwhile, echoing similar views as Manjhi, RJD leader Bhai Birendra said that despite the prohibition law in Bihar, liquor sales have increased in the state while some “white-collar individuals and those in khaki have all enriched themselves.”
“However, we had endorsed the liquor prohibition law back when it was implemented, and even today, we are in favour of prohibition. Its implementation should be strengthened,” he said.
Published – August 11, 2026 05:10 pm IST
