CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL filed nine years ago seeking enforcement of the Orissa Prohibition Act, 1956. The Court did not proceed further with the PIL after the State government in an affidavit stated that it has “no proposal to implement the Orissa Prohibition Act, 1956 as on date”.
The State Legislature had passed the Orissa Prohibition Act, 1956 with the intention to introduce and extend prohibition on manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor and drugs in the State. Lawyer Arun Budhia filed the PIL in 2013.
While disposing of the PIL the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice RK Pattanaik said, “As regards the affirmation decision of the State government it is in the realm of policy and the court would not like to substitute its view for that of the State in matters of this nature. Since a variety of factors are to be accounted for and the State is perhaps in the best position to access the pros and cons of a decision in this area.”
In its judgment the Bench took note of the State government’s stand that “ban on production and sale of alcohol may not achieve the object of weaning away the citizens from liquor. On the contrary the complete ban may result in proliferation of illicit liquor, increased use of prohibited drugs and other undesirable consequences.”