JOIN USA Bench, comprising Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly, came down heavily on the food sector regulator, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), for allowing representatives of Pepsi and Coca-Cola on the panel and directed to re-constitute the same. “The panel does not consist of independent persons. It is contrary to the Food Safety and Standard Act. What kind of recommendations do you expect from the panel?” the court asked.
It also directed the FSSAI to re-notify all such panels in two months and remove the representatives of industrial houses. “You should have independent members in such panels. If you have these kinds of people, then what result you would get? This panel (with Pepsi and Coca Cola representatives) is prima-facie against the law,” the court stated.
The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation, alleging use of chemical additives by cola majors.