No Ban on Religious Celebrations: Maharashtra FDA Clarifies Food Safety Order
Tukaram Mundhe says the new festival enforcement framework is focused on preventing food adulteration and illness, not restricting religious or cultural traditions.
Mumbai, September 8, 2026: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has clarified that its recent directive on food safety during festivals and large public gatherings does not prohibit religious or cultural activities.
The clarification from FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe comes after concerns and confusion emerged over the department’s newly introduced year-round “Festival Enforcement Calendar”. According to the FDA, the framework is intended to make sure that food served at festivals and public gatherings is safe and complies with existing food-safety laws.
Mundhe said the authorities are not trying to regulate how people celebrate festivals. Instead, their focus is on ensuring that the food served during such occasions does not put people’s health at risk.
He pointed out that the same food-safety rules apply to a wide range of gatherings, including weddings, bhandaras, Eid celebrations, Christmas events, New Year gatherings and other public occasions.
No New Law or Special Festival Restrictions
The FDA commissioner explained that the legal requirements relating to food safety, including registration and licensing of Food Business Operators (FBOs), have been in place since 2011.
He said the latest directive does not introduce a new law, create a separate licensing system or impose special restrictions on festivals.
Instead, the new framework provides a year-round system for food-safety enforcement. Earlier, similar directions were often issued separately whenever individual festivals approached.
Rules Apply Equally to All Communities
Mundhe stressed that the standard operating procedure is intended to remain neutral and applies equally to festivals and large gatherings across communities and religions.
The order does not prohibit activities such as bhandaras, distribution of prasad, community meals, Ganapati celebrations or other religious festivals. It also does not interfere with religious rituals, customs or traditions.
According to the FDA, the responsibility is shared among food vendors, caterers, Food Business Operators, event organisers and enforcement officials to ensure that food served to the public meets safety standards.
‘Objective Is Not to Restrict Celebration’
Mundhe said the department’s goal is to prevent food-related illness rather than interfere with people’s celebrations.
The FDA has urged people to continue celebrating their festivals with the same faith, happiness and traditions while taking necessary precautions to ensure that the food being served is safe and compliant with the law.
The department’s clarification is aimed at putting to rest the concerns surrounding the enforcement calendar and making it clear that religious and cultural celebrations remain unaffected by the food-safety directive.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
