Pune Dry Day on 23 October: Liquor Shops Closed Till 4 pm for MLC Polls
After a Bombay High Court hearing, the three-day dry period for the MLC elections is cut to polling day only. Liquor sales stop from midnight to 4 pm on Friday, 23 October.
By Sham Rathi ·
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Liquor shops, bars and permit rooms in Pune will stay closed on Friday, 23 October 2026, from midnight until 4 pm, for the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections. Sales can start again after 4 pm, once polling ends.
Three-day dry period cut to one
The district administration had first ordered liquor outlets to stay shut for about three days, from 4 pm on Wednesday, 21 October, until the end of polling on 23 October. Liquor traders challenged the long closure in the Bombay High Court. After the hearing on 21 October, the court asked the authorities to look at the period again, and the administration issued a revised order. The earlier dry-day restrictions on 21 and 22 October no longer apply.
What stays closed on 23 October
- Country liquor and foreign liquor shops
- Beer and wine shops
- Bars, permit rooms and clubs
- Hotels that serve liquor
The order covers the areas notified by the district administration and the State Excise Department.
The MLC polls
Voting is from 8 am to 4 pm on 23 October for five Legislative Council seats: the Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur graduates' constituencies, and the Pune and Amravati teachers' constituencies. Votes will be counted on 27 October.
A separate restriction has been notified for the Balewadi area around its local by-election. Residents there should check the local notice for the exact dates and hours.
If you are a registered graduate or teacher voter, please plan your day and step out to vote.
Questions and answers
Is 23 October 2026 a dry day in Pune?
Yes. Liquor shops, bars, permit rooms, clubs and hotels serving liquor in the notified areas of Pune are closed from midnight until 4 pm on Friday, 23 October 2026, for the MLC elections.
What time will liquor shops open in Pune on 23 October 2026?
Liquor shops and bars in Pune can open again after 4 pm on 23 October 2026, when polling for the MLC elections ends.
Are 21 and 22 October 2026 dry days in Pune?
No. The earlier order for a dry period from 4 pm on 21 October was revised after a Bombay High Court hearing. Only 23 October, from midnight to 4 pm, is a dry period in Pune.
Why was the Pune dry day for the MLC elections shortened?
Liquor traders challenged the three-day closure in the Bombay High Court. After the hearing on 21 October 2026, the court asked the authorities to reconsider, and the dry period was cut to polling day only.
Which MLC seats are voting on 23 October 2026?
Five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats: the Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur graduates' constituencies, and the Pune and Amravati teachers' constituencies. Voting is from 8 am to 4 pm.
When is the counting for the Maharashtra MLC elections 2026?
Votes for the October 2026 Maharashtra Legislative Council elections will be counted on 27 October 2026.
Which places are closed during the Pune dry day on 23 October 2026?
Country and foreign liquor shops, beer and wine shops, bars, permit rooms, clubs and hotels serving liquor in the notified areas of Pune.
