Pune Ganesh Festival 2026: Bombay HC Questions 10-Day Alcohol Ban, Restriction Cut To 2 Days
Mumbai, September 11, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Friday questioned the Pune administration for prohibiting sale and consumption of alcohol throughout the 10-day Ganesh festival, asking why such a restriction was imposed only in Pune. This forced the authorities to limit prohibition to only two days. A bench of Chief Justice M C Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna said that singling out Pune…
Mumbai, September 11, 2026 - The Bombay High Court recently questioned the decision of Pune’s administration to prohibit alcohol sales and consumption throughout the entire 10-day Ganesh festival. The court’s concern centered on the disparity of treating Pune differently from other districts, suggesting it could create a negative stereotype about the city’s residents.
Seeking clarification, judges Chief Justice M C Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna expressed disappointment with the administration’s choice to single out Pune. Despite acknowledging the need for maintaining law and order during the festival, the court emphasized that the prohibition should not be a blanket decision that restricts licensed businesses for ten days.
Following the bench’s directives, the alcohol ban in Pune has been reduced to only two days - until 4 pm on the first day of the festival (September 14) and throughout the final day (September 25), which is traditionally a dry day.
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