Shift IMFL stocks from Bihar within 2 months: SC

PATNA: The Supreme Court on Friday gave a two-month window to Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufacturers in Bihar to shift their finished and unfinished products from the state. The state government had earlier decided not to renew licences of liquor manufacturing units in the state after March 31 this year.
While hearing a batch of petitions filed by liquor manufacturers of Bihar, who had sought more time to export their products from the dry state, a division bench of Supreme Court comprising Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar observed that the IMFL manufacturers should be given two months’ time to shift their products from the state instead of one-month time given by the state government.
Principal additional advocate general Lalit Kishore, who had appeared in Supreme Court on Tuesday, said the bench had sought a reply from the state government on the issue. “On behalf of the state government, a reply was submitted before the bench on Friday in which it was made clear that the state will not renew the licences of liquor manufacturing units. They are, however, allowed to shift their finished and unfinished products lying in warehouses and Bihar State Beverages Corporation Limited (BSBCL) depots within one month. However, the bench gave two months’ time to liquor manufacturers to shift their products,” Kishore said.
He said the liquor manufacturers will have to submit the details of their stock positions to the state government by April 5. “After verification of stocks by the excise department, liquor manufacturers will be allowed to shift their products from the state,” Kishore added.
According to sources, IMFL worth more than Rs 400 crore are lying in warehouses and BSBCL depots across the state.