Bombay HC Slashes Pune Ganesh Festival Alcohol Ban From 10 Days to 2 Days
The Bombay High Court on Friday intervened in the Pune Ganesh festival alcohol ban, questioning the Pune administration's 10-day prohibition order. A bench led by Chief Justice M C Tripathi noted that singling out Pune amounted to unfairly stigmatizing the city and its residents, asking why such a restriction was imposed only there and not across the state.
The court heard petitions from hotel and wine shop owner associations challenging the Pune Collector's order. The judges acknowledged the need to maintain law and order during the festival but rejected the blanket prohibition, noting that not all alcohol consumers create disturbances and licensed businesses should be allowed to operate.
Following the court's intervention, the Pune administration substantially curtailed the ban. The revised arrangement now restricts alcohol sale and consumption only until 4 pm on September 14, the first day of the Ganesh festival, rather than the entire 10-day period.
