Madhya Pradesh to Overhaul 100-Year-Old Excise Act

The Madhya Pradesh Excise Department is preparing to amend its Excise Act, originally enacted in 1915. A committee has been formed to review the colonial-era legislation, which officials say no longer aligns with current requirements.

The proposed amendments will update procedures to align with the recently enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, replacing references to the old Code of Criminal Procedure. Penalty provisions, last revised about 50 years ago, are expected to increase substantially, though imprisonment clauses will likely remain unchanged. The department also plans to incorporate government directives issued over the decades.

Officials indicated the overall structure of the Act will be preserved while modernising its provisions. The department may also review excise laws from other states that have already removed colonial elements, following the Central government's initiative to strip such provisions from various laws.