India, Sept. 12 -- The Pune district administration withdrew its 13-day blanket ban on liquor sales during the forthcoming Ganeshotsav, after the high court questioned the rationale behind the decision and called it "arbitrary".

A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna remarked, "We deprecate such practice of imposing blanket bans. We understand that your intention is to maintain law and order during the festival, but it is not as if everyone who drinks will create a law and order situation".

On September 3, the Pune district collector issued an order to observe dry days on 13 days of the Ganesh festival from September 14 to 26 in areas falling under the Khadak, Vishrambaug and Faraskhana polic...