The Bombay High Court refused to quash the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) order prohibiting over-the-counter sale of liquor in the city, stating that it was the civic body's policy decision to do so amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The court on Friday refused to quash a notification issued by the civic body on May 22, prohibiting over-the- counter sale of liquor and permitting the use of e-commerce platforms for home delivery of alcohol.

A division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and N R Borkar was hearing a petition filed by the Maharashtra Wine Merchants Association seeking a direction to the state government to permit sale of liquor at wine shops in Mumbai, which is a COVID-19 red zone. The petition contended that in cities like Pune and Nashik, where the COVID-19 situation was similar to Mumbai, regular counter sale of retail liquor was being permitted.