Pune Liquor Ban Curtailed To 2 Days During Ganeshotsav

Mumbai: The Pune collector on Friday withdrew his order imposing a 12-day ban on the sale of liquor during Ganeshotsav, following the Bombay High Court’s warning that it would intervene if the state administration did not withdraw the restriction on its own.

The collector subsequently curtailed the ban to two days — Ganesh Chaturthi, marking the arrival of Lord Ganesha, on Saturday, and Anant Chaturdashi, the final day of the festival, on September 25.

The High Court had earlier in the day questioned the rationale behind imposing the restriction only in Pune and said it would step in if the order was not withdrawn. A bench of Chief Justice MC Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna described the move as arbitrary and said it unfairly stigmatised Pune and its residents.

The court later accepted the state’s statement that the restriction on the sale and consumption of alcohol would apply only until 4pm on Saturday and September 25. September 25, which is already observed as a dry day.

The matter came before the High Court after associations of hotel owners and wine shop owners challenged the Pune collector’s order prohibiting the sale of alcohol during the festival.

Expressing its displeasure, the bench questioned why Pune had been singled out for the restriction. “What is the rationale behind choosing only Pune? We deprecate such practice. This is a stigma on Pune residents,” the court observed.

The bench also questioned the premise behind the restriction, asking, “What are you trying to portray — that only people in Pune behave badly after drinking?”

The court had directed the lawyer representing the Pune collector to return later in the day with a decision on whether the order would be withdrawn. It had warned that, in the absence of a withdrawal, it would issue an appropriate order.