Planning To Buy Your Booze This Holi? Maharashtra Govt Says...

Mumbai: Days after social media was abuzz with reports that the Maharashtra government has lifted the ban on the sale of booze on Holi, Muharram and Gandhi Jayanti, the state's Excise Commissioner Rajesh Deshmukh dismissed such reports cancelling "dry days" on those three auspicious occassions as "fake news".

Dismissing such reports, that would have surely left a wide grin on all tipplers, especially ahead of Holi, the government official clarified that the existing liquor policy would remain unchanged.

The Dry Days

Rajesh Deshmukh said that Maharashtra will enforce these eight mandatory dry days under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.

The existing rules mentioned that the sale of liquor is prohibited on January 26 (Republic Day), January 30 (Martyrs' Day), May 1 (Maharashtra Day), Ashadhi Ekadashi, August 15 (Independence Day), Anant Chaturdashi, October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti/Prohibition Week) and Kartiki Ekadashi.

The commissioner also underlined that district collectors are empowered to declare additional dry days within their jurisdictions, as per section 142 of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.

Earlier Reports

It was earlier reported that the Maharashtra government has allowed liquor shops, bars, and permit rooms to stay open on these festivals for the first time. This move was intended to curb illegal alcohol sales and to give a boost to regulated excise revenue.

However, the change led to public protests and debates, which may have led the government to issue this official clarification. 

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