Supreme Court directs Centre to implement tobacco ad guidelines

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Government to enforce rules on advertisement of tobacco products at their sale outlets that prohibits display of ads larger than 60 cm by 45 cm at shops.

The court also pulled up the Centre for "conniving" with the tobacco lobby when people are daily dying of cancer.

A bench headed by Mr. Justice G S Singhvi quashed the interim order of Bombay High Court staying Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Rules, 2004, also known as Point of Sale rules, for regulating the advertisements at shops selling tobacco products.

The bench also expressed its "serious concern" over how the Centre handled the case in the High Court which had in 2005 stayed the implementation of the rules.

It said that High Court had passed the order without considering its consequences.

"No effort, however, was made for vacating the order which had a huge ramification on society at large particularly weaker and poor sections who are the largest consumer of tobacco products," the bench said.

It also raised question on Centre's motive for not taking steps to get the order vacated.

"Every day, every moment people are dying of cancer and it is the Centre which connived with the tobacco lobby by non- appearance of an advocate during the hearing at Bombay High court," it said, adding that the counsel who was supposed to appear for Centre had "some other interest".