Mumbai, Dec 24 (IANS): All hotels in Mumbai will remain open till 5 a.m. Dec 24 and 31 to celebrate Christmas and usher in the New Year, an official said here Saturday.

"We had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court to allow us to remain open late on Christmas and New Year eve. The petition was heard Friday where we presented a circular by the Home Department of Maharashtra Government allowing us to do so," Sudhakar Shetty, President of Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA) of Maharashtra told IANS.

A division bench of Justice P.B. Majmudar and Justice Mridula Bhatkar had questioned as to why the hotels sought extension of the earlier deadline of closing down at 1:30 a.m.

IHRA's advocate Veena Thadani had then submitted a circular issued Dec 20 by the deputy secretary, home department, allowing hotels and restaurants to remain open till 5 a.m.

The petition stated that every year, the state relaxes timings for hotels on Christmas and New Year's Eve and also grants special permission for parties to be held in clubs.