The Bombay High Court ruled that a cultural group could proceed with Garba celebrations at Ramlila Maidan during Navratri, rejecting the idea that a big turnout alone could create a public safety issue.
Justices Kishore C. Sant and Jitendra Jain reviewed a plea contesting the Municipal Corporation’s reversal of its approval for Garba at Ramlila Maidan between October 11 and 20, 2026.
Background of the Case
The city authorities had approved the event on October 8 but revoked it the next day over unspecified security worries. The organizers explained they had hosted Garba nearby for a decade but chose Ramlila Maidan this year because of logistical challenges and the need for more space.
The petitioners claimed the cancellation was unjustified, as they were never informed or given a chance to respond, and they promised the festivities would not inconvenience neighbors.
Court Observations
The Court noted that the Corporation had not placed anything on record explaining why it cancelled the permission within a day of granting it. It also observed that there was no indication that the police machinery had reported any law and order concern.
“The reason cited is of law and order. It is not clear as to from where the Corporation received the inputs about law and order. It is not reflected that it is the Police machinery who reported the Corporation about the law and order situation,” the Court remarked.
The only stated risk involved the October 20 Ravan Dahan ceremony, with no other concrete threats mentioned. The court emphasized that Garba is an annual tradition across Mumbai and that crowd size alone does not justify classifying it as a security risk.
“It is common knowledge that every year Garba is played on various places in the city. People come only to play Garba. Merely because more crowd is expected cannot be said to be a reason of law and order situation. At the same time, this Court needs to take into consideration that on the said Maidan every year Rawan Dahan is also performed,” the Court held.
Accordingly, the Court disposed of the petition subject to certain conditions to ensure smooth passage of the event. The case is Marathi Wadal Pratishthan v. The State of Maharashtra [Writ Petition No. 14183 of 2026].