Centre pulled up for failure to enforce tobacco ad restrictions

The Supreme Court on Monday accused the government of “conniving” with the tobacco lobby and pulled up the Centre for its apparent lethargy in implementing advertisement rules in retail outlets.

A three-judge bench presided over by Justice G S Singhvi set aside an order of the Bombay High Court which had stayed the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Rules, 2004.

Criticising the Centre for its connivance with the tobacco lobby even as people die of cancer, the court said the way the Centre handled the case in the High Court was a matter of “serious concern.”

The court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Health For Millions, which contended that the rules on advertisement ban had to be strictly implemented to reduce tobacco consumption as India was a signatory to international treaty, Framework Convention of Tobacco Control.

The bench, while quashing 2005 stay order on implementation of the rules, concluded that the High Court had passed the order without considering its consequences.

The court also questioned the Centre’s motive in not taking steps to get the stay order vacated.