Gandhinagar: The Gujarat assembly has passed a bill to amend the prohibition act , empowering the govt to auction vehicles used to transport liquor and other intoxicants even before a court pronounces its final order in the case. This decision was made with a majority vote despite opposition from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the suspension of all Congress MLAs for the day. The Gujarat Prohibition (Amendment) Bill, 2024, revises Section 98(2) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949.
Vehicles seized in prohibition cases currently cannot be released until a court pronounces its final order in the case. With the amendment, the govt will be able to auction such vehicles with the permission of a court. The bill specifies that a deputy superintendent of police will be the competent authority responsible for conducting these auctions.
Minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi, while tabling the bill, assured that if the court later acquits the accused, the govt will refund the vehicle’s auctioned value along with 5% interest to the owner. This bill replaces the Gujarat Prohibition (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024, which was introduced in July. The statement of objects of the bill said, “Vehicles so confiscated cannot be returned to the owners and they remain unused in the police station or in the court compound till the final judgment of the case and in these circumstances, the condition of the vehicles becomes deteriorated.
To overcome this situation, the state govt considers it necessary to amend said sub-section (2) so as to dispose of such vehicles by way of auction.” Minister Sanghavi emphasized the growing use of high-tech vehicles by bootleggers, making it essential to seize them. “Over the past two years, 22,242 vehicles used for bootlegging activities were seized,” Sanghavi told the house.
“Over 300 luxury cars used for bootlegging are kept in compounds of police stations. Gujarat is the first state to find a solution to this problem,” he added. We also published the following articles recently Bill passed to auction bootlegging vehicles before verdict The Gujarat assembly has amended the prohibition act, allowing the government to auction vehicles involved in transporting liquor before court orders are finalized.
This will apply with a court's permission and ensures a refund with interest if the accused are acquitted. The amendment addresses the issue of deteriorating seized vehicles and targets high-tech vehicles used by bootleggers. Govt to table bills on black magic, prohibition and corruption The Gujarat government is slated to introduce critical bills during a three-day assembly session starting today in Gandhinagar.
Key legislation includes measures against black magic, amendments to the prohibition act for auctioning seized vehicles, and targeting disproportionate assets of corrupt individuals. The opposition demands an extension for more thorough deliberation on these issues. Gujarat govt passes black magic prevention bill to curb evil practices The Gujarat assembly has passed the bill targeting human sacrifices and black magic.
The law introduces severe penalties for exploiting individuals through such practices, following numerous related incidents in the state. The government has 30 days to frame the act's rules. Similar laws exist in eight other Indian states, including Maharashtra and Karnataka.
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