Will bars in restaurants get permission to remain open till 5am on Christmas eve, Dec 25 & 31? HRAWI writes to Maha govt

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has requested the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra Government to extend operating hours for all food and beverage licensed establishments in the state, at least until 5 am, on the festive dates of December 24, 25 and 31, the association said in a statement.

HRAWI said it has appealed for a ‘prompt’ and ‘positive’ response from the Government to allow hotels and restaurants sufficient time to plan and organise activities around these significant events.

The Maharashtra Government’s circular dated October 1, 2025, permits hotels and restaurants across the State to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, excise-licensed establishments serving liquor have been excluded from this provision. HRAWI’s request specifically seeks relaxation for these excise-licensed food and beverage establishments on the aforementioned festive dates.

“The year-end festive period is among the most significant for the hospitality and tourism industry. Extending operating hours recalls a well-established precedent and allows establishments to plan responsibly and manage crowds effectively. We assure the Government that our members will strictly comply with all safety, security and regulatory requirements,” Jimmy Shaw, President, HRAWI, said.

Delhi relaxes excise rules

Meanwhile, the Delhi Government has significantly relaxed excise norms for churches, allowing them to store up to 4,000 litres of sacramental wine annually.

According to a notification issued by the Finance Department, the Government has amended Rule 20 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, substantially increasing the quantity of sacramental wine that churches are permitted to procure and store.

“Earlier, the rule permitted the Bishop of Delhi to purchase and possess up to 91 litres of wine for church use. Under the revised provision, the Bishop can now buy, import, transport and store up to 4,000 litres of duty-free sacramental wine annually, in one or multiple consignments, from authorised distilleries anywhere in India, with prior approval of the Excise Commissioner,” an official was quoted as saying by Times of India.

The official added that the decision followed representations from churches seeking a higher storage limit. In churches, wine is an essential element of Holy Communion, a core ritual in Christian worship. It is used exclusively for religious ceremonies, particularly on Sundays and major occasions such as Christmas and Easter, and is not intended for sale or general consumption.

At the same time, the Delhi Government has also revised excise rules to substantially raise storage and possession limits for special denatured spirit, which is mainly used for industrial purposes.

“This has been done to ease operational constraints for industrial units dependent on denatured spirit for various authorised purposes and is part of the Government’s broader ease-of-doing-business measures, while maintaining regulatory oversight under the excise framework,” an official said.