Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has ruled that liquor sales need not be suspended on the counting day for Maharashtra Legislative Council teachers’ constituency election, while upholding the restrictions imposed for polling day.A division bench of Justices Urmila Joshi and Raj Wakode passed the order while hearing two petitions filed by liquor vendors from Nagpur and Chandrapur districts challenging the district administrations’ directives declaring dry days during the election period.The orders issued by the two district collectors required liquor shops to remain closed from 4 pm on Oct 21 until the conclusion of polling on Oct 23, and again on Oct 27, the day scheduled for counting.The petitioners argued that a blanket prohibition on liquor sales across the districts would adversely affect licensed businesses. They also questioned the legal basis for extending the restrictions to counting day.The petitions cited provisions of the Representation of the People Act, which restrict the sale and distribution of liquor in the relevant polling area during the 48 hours preceding the conclusion of an election. The vendors contended that a separate legal basis was necessary to impose a similar prohibition on counting day.The court’s order preserves the restrictions on polling day but removes the requirement to shut liquor outlets on Oct 27. The ruling allows licensed vendors in Nagpur and Chandrapur to continue sales on counting day, subject to other applicable regulations.
