Pune's dry day restrictions have been revised ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections on October 23, 2026. Following directions from the Bombay High Court, the Pune district administration has shortened the period of the liquor sale ban, so licensed establishments can resume sales after 4 PM on polling day.
Under the revised order, liquor sales will be prohibited from midnight until 4 PM on Friday, October 23, in the areas covered by the notification. The earlier restrictions that had ordered liquor sales to stop from October 21 and remain suspended through October 23 have been modified. This means that October 21 and 22 will no longer be dry days under the revised order for the specified jurisdiction.
Bombay High Court intervention leads to revised timings
The revision followed petitions by liquor traders against the long dry day restrictions imposed ahead of the elections. The matter was taken up by the Bombay High Court on October 21, after which authorities were directed to amend the earlier order.
The district administration and State Excise Department then changed the restrictions such that only polling day until 4 PM would be restricted.
Liquor retailers, bars and other licensed establishments that were preparing for multiple days of closure should now know the new notification and any restrictions on their locations.
When can liquor shops in Pune reopen?
According to the new schedule, licensed liquor establishments under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of State Excise, Pune-1, must observe the following timings:
- October 21, Wednesday: The earlier dry day restriction has been withdrawn under the revised order.
- October 22, Thursday: Liquor sales can resume under the revised order, subject to applicable regulations.
- October 23, Friday: Liquor sales remain prohibited from midnight until 4 PM.
- After 4 PM on October 23: Licensed establishments can resume sales, subject to applicable rules and any other local restrictions.
The revised order is for the notified jurisdiction. Residents and business owners should check with the local excise authorities if they are unsure whether their establishment falls within the covered area.
Maharashtra Legislative Council Polls on October 23
The dry day restrictions have been imposed in connection with the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections for five graduates' and teachers' constituencies. Polling will be held on October 23 and will be from 8 AM to 4 PM.
The constituencies include Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) graduates' divisions and Amravati and Pune teachers' divisions.
Election-related liquor restrictions are intended to support the peaceful conduct of polling and help authorities maintain law and order. The revised Pune order narrows the period of prohibition, but the restriction remains in place during voting hours.
Separate restriction on counting day
Though the extended dry day restrictions have been withdrawn for October 21 and 22, there is a separate liquor sale restriction for a certain area of Pune on October 27, when votes are expected to be counted.
The reported restriction applies only to the notified Balewadi area and is expected to remain in place until counting is completed and the results are declared. Residents and retailers should consult the relevant local notification for the exact area and duration.
This separate restriction should not be confused with the revised polling-day order, which allows sales to resume after 4 PM on October 23 in the covered jurisdiction.
What liquor retailers and customers should know?
The revised order should offer some relief to licensed liquor businesses that had faced an extended closure. Retailers, bars, permit rooms, and other establishments covered by the notification must follow the polling-day prohibition, however.
And customers must also remember that the 4 PM reopening time only applies where the revised order enables sales to resume. Other local restrictions and licensing conditions or separate notifications may still apply.
The key takeaway is that Pune’s revised dry day restriction for the October 23 polls runs from midnight until 4 PM, after which licensed liquor sales may resume in the covered jurisdiction. The change follows the Bombay High Court’s intervention and replaces the earlier, longer closure schedule.
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