Orissa High Court asks state authorities to clear air on Prohibition Act

By Express News Service
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has set September 15 as deadline for the federal government to clear the air on the standing of enforcement of the Orissa Prohibition Act, 1956. The State Legislature had handed the legislation with an intention to introduce and prolong prohibition on manufacture, sale and consumption of intoxicating liquors and medicines in Odisha.

The President of India had given assent to the Act on January 19, 1957. But the Act is but to be notified and enforced. It sought to repeal the Bihar and Orissa Excise Act, 1915. The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice SK Panigrahi set the deadline after the federal government failed to provide a transparent reply to a PIL final week. Advocate Arun Kumar Budhia filed the PIL in 2013.

The petition was taken up on April 5, 2021 and the federal government had responded by solely suggesting steps which were taken to regulate the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor. When it was argued on the petitioner’s behalf that the petition is just not solely about manufacture and sale of illicit liquor, however all types of liquor  which stand prohibited beneath the Orissa Prohibition Act, Additional Government Advocate (AGA) DK Mohanty said that he’ll take directions. The Court on the AGA’s request posted the matter to June 22. But when the petition got here up, the AGA sought extra time to file an affidavit.