Dry Day: Liquor Shops To Remain Closed On Holi, Muharram And Gandhi Jayanti, Maharashtra Government Clarifies

RunWithRugs · 2026-02-26T11:31:58+00:00

The Maharashtra government confirmed that Holi, Muharram, and Gandhi Jayanti will remain dry days, despite reports of allowing liquor sales. The excise department emphasized that restrictions on alcohol sales on these days are unchanged.

RunWithRugs

2026-02-26 11:31:58

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(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Maharashtra government has clarified that Holi, Muharram, and Gandhi Jayanti will continue to be observed as dry days in the state. The Maharashtra excise department issued the clarification after reports claimed that the government had allowed liquor shops across the state to remain open on these days, The Economic Times reported.

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However, according to the excise department, liquor sale restrictions in Maharashtra on these days remain unchanged.

Earlier, it was reported that the Maharashtra government had allowed licensed liquor retail outlets to sell alcohol on these days. The decision, the reports claim, was taken to curb the rise of unauthorized and counterfeit liquor sales on dry days.

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Apart from Holi, which is celebrated on March 4, Maharashtra will observe dry days on March 21 (Eid ul-Fitr), March 23 ( Shaheed Diwas), March 26 (Ram Navami), and March 31 (Mahavir Jayanti)

Dry days in 2026

Other dry days in 2026 include

May 1 (Maharashtra Day)

May 27 (Bakrid)

April 3(Good Friday)

April 14 (Ambedkar Jayanti)

August 15 (Independence Day)

September 14 (Ganesh Chaturthi)

October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)

November 8 (Diwali)

November 24 (Guru Nanak Jayanti)

December 25 (Christmas)

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