The Bombay High Court has declined to grant immediate interim relief to liquor manufacturers challenging Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) orders restricting the manufacture and sale of certain rum products, including McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Matured Rum and Old Monk.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad on August 10, 2026, granted FSSAI time to place its response on record before considering the manufacturers’ plea for relief.
Background Of The Case
United Spirits Limited and Mohan Meakin Limited approached the High Court after FSSAI issued prohibition orders concerning their liquor products.
The regulatory action followed inspections and concerns raised regarding product labelling, composition and the use of external flavouring agents. Under the conditional prohibition orders, identified existing stocks could be cleared after being relabelled as “Rum Flavoured Spirit”, while the restriction continued against the manufacture and sale of fresh stocks.
The manufacturers challenged the orders and sought a stay, arguing that the products had been sold under the same nomenclature for several decades and that changing the labels immediately was not practically possible.
Senior Advocate Birendra Saraf, appearing for United Spirits, submitted that relabelling would require removal of existing labels and approval of fresh labels from the State Excise authorities.
Senior Advocate Navroz Seervai, appearing for Mohan Meakin, also questioned the basis of the restrictions and highlighted the absence of any recorded finding that the product was unsafe for human consumption.
Court Proceedings
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for FSSAI, sought time to file an affidavit in reply.
The bench accepted the request and decided against passing an ad-interim order at this stage.
“The learned ASG submits on instructions that an affidavit-in-reply would be served on the petitioners before the matter is listed for hearing,” the bench recorded.
The Court further indicated that the response of the Union of India should be served upon the petitioners before the matter is taken up again.
Decision
The Bombay High Court refrained from granting immediate interim relief to the liquor manufacturers and granted FSSAI time to file its response.
The petitions have been adjourned for hearing on August 24, 2026.
Case Details
Case Title: M/s United Spirits Limited vs Union of India
Case Number: Writ Petition No. 10196 of 2026
Judge: Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad
Decision Date: August 10, 2026
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