Bombay High Court Questions Pune-Only Liquor Ban During Ganeshotsav

The Bombay High Court on Monday sharply questioned the Maharashtra government over its decision to impose a 12-day liquor ban in Pune district during the Ganeshotsav festival, asking why the restriction was limited to a single city and whether it had any rational basis.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna observed that not everyone who consumes alcohol becomes a threat to public order, and that blanket prohibitions during a festival were unwarranted. The court asked the state's counsel to seek instructions from the government and present its position later in the day.

"If during festival someone drinks, shows enthusiasm... you cannot say they will create some law-and-order scene on the streets. It is a festival; let people celebrate. I deprecate such blanket orders," the Chief Justice remarked.

The bench also flagged the health consequences of sudden abstinence for habitual drinkers, noting that such individuals could develop serious medical complications and that hospitals might see a surge in cases. "The ones who are habitual, they will get serious medical issues... Hospitals will be flooding," the court observed.

Questioning the geographical scope of the order, the bench asked, "What message are you trying to give against a particular city?"

The Pune District Collector had announced dry days and restrictions on liquor sales from September 14 to September 26, 2026, citing public safety and law enforcement during the Hindu festival that begins Monday.

The court's remarks came as it heard a challenge to the ban, and it directed the state to justify the measure. The matter is expected to proceed once the government submits its response.