The Pune district administration scaled back its 10-day alcohol ban during the Ganesh festival to just two days following pushback from the Bombay High Court [Janardhan G Thorat And Ors. v. Collector of Pune & Anr.]..Additional Government Pleader KB Dighe informed the court that September 25 shall be observed as a ‘dry day’ and prohibition on retail liquor sale will operate on September 14 till 4 pm..A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait M Sethna had earlier slammed the blanket prohibition on liquor for 10 days..“What is the rationale behind choosing only Pune? We deprecate such practice," Chief Justice Tripathi said. He cautioned that sudden alcohol deprivation could send habitual drinkers into physical shock and lead to hospital admissions..The Court was hearing a plea by National Restaurant Association of India and retail liquor associations challenging the original 10-day prohibition. After the local administration revised its decision, the High Court disposed of the plea..Advocates Veena Thadhani and Rutuja Gaikwad appeared for retail liquor shop owners.Advocates Karl Thamboly, Sameer Pandit, Krina Gandhi, Chintan Pasad briefed by Wadia Ghandy & Co. appeared for the restaurants association. Government pleaders Neha Bhide, KB Dighe and PJ Gavhane appeared for Pune administration..[Read order]
