Order on health warning on tobacco packets reserved

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday reserved its orders in connection with a batch of petitions filed by various tobacco manufacturing companies and others across the country which have challenged the rule of 85% of pictorial health warning on tobacco packages.

A division bench, comprising Justice B S Patil and Justice BV Nagarathna, have heard the batch of over 43 petitions for the past six months and have reserved its order.  The bench has adjourned the hearing of certain petitions related to public interest to Wednesday.

The petitioners, Tobacco Institute of India and others, have challenged the enforcement of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2014, which requires printing of pictorial health warnings covering 85% of the tobacco product packages.

A single judge bench had previously vacated the stay on the enforcement making it compulsory for the tobacco manufacturers to have 85 per cent pictorial health warning on tobacco packages.

Mangala Sridhar case 

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday reserved its order in an appeal filed by Mangala Sridhar, former member, Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), who has challenged her removal by Governor.

She has contended that only the President has the authority to remove her from the position of KPSC membership and the governor does not have the powers to do so.

A single bench of the high court had passed an order stating that governor can remove a member of KPSC. Later, Mangala had filed an appeal challenging the single bench order. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice R B Budihal, reserved the judgment.