Liquor shops in Mumbai can open at 6pm on results day: HC

The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday ruled that liquor shops in the city be allowed to open for business at 6pm on October 24, when votes cast for the Maharashtra

The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday ruled that liquor shops in the city be allowed to open for business at 6pm on October 24, when votes cast for the Maharashtra Assembly elections will be counted.

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Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, however, refused to interfere with the Mumbai district collector’s October 4 order, directing closure of such shops on and one day before polling day, on October 21. Justice Bhuyan’s order on Friday came in view of section 135C of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951, which prohibits selling or distributing liquor on polling day. The reprieve came on a petition filed by the Maharashtra Wine Merchants Association, which moved the HC, challenging the order of the district collector, the licensing authority, who had directed owners to keep all liquor and toddy shops closed from 6pm onwards, on October 19; the entire day on October 20; till the voting process was completed on October 21; and the entire day on October 24, when votes will be counted.

The petitioners contended it was an arbitrary order and infringed on the fundamental right of shop owners, and would cause a huge loss to them.