HC's interim stay on ban on sale of liquor in plastic bottles

The Bombay High Court today granted an interim stay till June 30 on implementation of Maharashtra government order imposing a ban on sale of liquor in plastic bottles.
The Government Resolution, dated January 11 this year, banned the sale of alcohol in bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the ground that it was a health hazard. The ban was to implemented from today.
Soon after the order, a bunch of petitions were filed in the high court by Distillers Association of Maharashtra, All India Plastic Manufacturers Association, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverages Companies and All India Wine Producers Association challenging the ban.

A division bench of Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice M S Sonak today granted interim stay on implementation of the ban till June 30.
The court posted the petitions for hearing on June 14.
The petitions claimed that the government could not impose such a ban, as sale of liquor in a particular make of bottles is governed under the FSSA Act.
Moreover, if it had to impose a ban, the government could have only done so through a legislation and not by merely issuing a 'resolution'.