Bombay High Court Upholds Three-Day Liquor Ban During Mumbai BMC Elections

The Bombay High Court refused to grant interim relief to the Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors challenging a three-day ban on liquor sales in Mumbai from January 14 to 16, imposed due to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. The court noted that the Maharashtra Foreign Liquor Rules authorize such restrictions around polling and counting days. The association questioned the applicability of Section 135-C of the Representation of the People Act to municipal polls and sought limiting the ban to polling hours, but the court deferred detailed examination and scheduled further hearings.