With the onset of Christmas and New Year festivities in the city, liquor shops in Mumbai have been allowed to remain open till 1 AM. Whereas, the bars, clubs and restaurants serving alcohol can function till 5 AM on December 24, 25 and 31.
The said notification was issued by Home Department of Maharastra on December 22. The notification also mentioned that the collector has the authority to refuse permissions based on considerations of law and order and public peace.
This has been the trend for every Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s now. An Official from the Excise Department stated that the extension is based on demand from stakeholders – it seeks to facilitate resellers, although it does not make much difference in revenue generation. He further mentioned that the order is applicable on the entire state of Maharashtra, however, only the big cities usually make the most use of it.
