The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has clarified that its new festival enforcement framework is intended to prevent food adulteration and protect public health, not regulate religious or cultural celebrations across the state.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the directive applies to food served during festivals and large public gatherings, including weddings, bhandaras, Eid, Christmas, New Year events and other community occasions. He said the framework requires food served at such events to comply with food-safety laws already in force.
“There appears to be some misunderstanding and apprehension regarding the standing order issued for food-safety arrangements during festivals and large public gatherings,” Mundhe said, according to PTI. “We are not regulating festivals. We are ensuring that food served at festivals — just as in weddings, bhandaras, Eid, Christmas, New Year’s Eve events and other gatherings — is safe and compliant with a law that has existed since 2011.”
The clarification follows the Maharashtra FDA’s introduction of a year-round Festival Enforcement Calendar. Earlier, food-safety directions were often issued separately ahead of individual festivals. The new framework creates a common schedule and operating structure for inspections and compliance checks throughout the year.
According to the FDA, the framework is intended to clarify the responsibilities of its officials, food vendors, caterers, food business operators and event organisers. Mundhe said the common approach would reduce ambiguity, prevent arbitrary interpretation and support consistent enforcement of existing food-safety laws.
The commissioner also said that the order does not create a new law or licensing system for festivals. Registration and licensing requirements for food business operators have been part of the existing legal framework since 2011, and the latest directive does not add separate legal requirements specifically for religious or cultural events.
Mundhe said the directive does not prohibit bhandaras, prasad distribution or the organisation of Ganapati and other religious festivals. He added that it would not interfere with religious rituals or traditions. The framework, he said, was designed to be religion-neutral and festival-neutral, applying to all communities, festivals and food-service activities.
The FDA’s clarification places the operational focus on the safety of food preparation, handling and distribution at public gatherings. Its stated objective is to ensure that vendors, caterers, organisers and enforcement officials understand their respective responsibilities under the existing food-safety framework.
“No religious or cultural activity is being prohibited by this order,” Mundhe said, adding that the directive was a uniform, year-round standard for implementing food-safety rules without discrimination. The FDA’s enforcement calendar will now provide the framework for food-safety arrangements during festivals and large public gatherings across Maharashtra.
