New Delhi: Manufacturers of `pan masala`
have moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the
Centre`s regulations restricting them from producing and
selling their products which contained nicotine and tobacco.
Smokeless Tobacco Association (STA), in its petition
before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Rajiv
Shakdher, has challenged the Food Safety and Standards
(Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011,
issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on August
one.
The regulation is affecting the rights of manufacturers
as they produce, sell and distribute products like chewing
tobacco, `gutkha`, `pan masala` and other products under a
special law, the petition said.
The STA claimed to have at least 20 manufacturers as its
members.
"Regulation 2, 3 and 4 are contrary and in contravention
of the scheme to the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products
(Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and
Commerce, Production, Supply Distribution) Act, 2003 which is
a special enactment governing the tobacco and cigarette
industry," the petition said and sought quashing of the
regulation.
The STA said the industry contributes over Rs 3,000 crore
to the exchequer and employs 30 million people.
The manufacturers allege harassment at the hands of
government officials after the regulations came into force on
August five.
The officials have started punitive action against
traders, the plea said and sought to restrain them from taking
any action against them till the court decides the petition.
The bench would hear it on January 12.
PTI
