Supreme Court Strikes Down Maharashtra's Methanol Rules for Violating Proportionality

Gist The Supreme Court recently struck down Rules 18A and 18B of the Maharashtra Poisons Rules, 1972 , which mandated the addition of colourants and bitterants to methanol before it could be sold to non-drug manufacturers. The Court ruled that these restrictions failed the doctrine of proportionality, arbitrarily burdening legitimate industries without actually curbing the illicit liquor trade, thereby violating fundamental rights. For UPSC aspirants, this judgment is a prime example of constitutional courts testing executive rule-making against the touchstone of Articles 14 and 19 1 g , highlighting how state actions must have a rational nexus to their stated objectives. Background Methanol methyl alcohol is a highly toxic substance, but it is simultaneously a critical industrial raw material used in the manufacture of formaldehyde, paints, resins, and various pharmaceuticals. Following a severe hooch spurious liquor tragedy in Mumbai in 1991 that killed around 93 people, the state constituted the P.R. Parthasarthy Committee to investigate and recommend preventive measures. Acting on these concerns, the Maharashtra government amended its rules in 2011 , introducing stringent controls to prevent methanol from being…