Following court’s intervention, the 85 per cent pictorial warnings on both sides of tobacco products including cigarettes and bidis may have finally come into force with effect from Friday but uncertainly looms large on its fate in the long run.
While tobacco manufacturing industry has three months to dispose the old stock by June 2016, the Ministry has as many months to review the observations of the committee on subordinate legislation of the 16th lok Sabha which said that only 50 per cent notification would be enough.
Currently only 40 per cent of the packet area is to be covered with pictorial warnings.
The Ministry had submitted an affidavit in Rajasthan High Court on March 28 committing that it will implement the said rules of 85 per cent of pictorial warning on tobacco products from April 1, 2016.
However, the Ministry has also mentioned of observations of the committee on subordinate legislation of the 16th lok Sabha, which said that only 50 per cent notification would be enough. The Government had issued a notification in October 2015, but then put it on hold and recommended the matter to the subordinate committee.
Sources said by mentioning in the court that it was reviewing suggestions made by parliamentary panel report, clearly the Health Ministry has kept the door open for any changes it may decides later.
The Ministry might accept the report suggestions in toto or partially accept it or can reject it also, said the sources.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has written to the Customs and Central Excise Departments to ensure that the domestic industry as well as imported tobacco products follows the April 1, 2016 notification.
The Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate legislation had described as “too harsh” the Government’s proposal that 85 per cent of the packaging surface carry pictorial warnings and recommended that the message occupy 50 per cent of the space.
In its report submitted to lok Sabha, committee chairman Dilip Gandhi justified the recommendations, saying it was urged that the size of the warnings be increased from the present 40 to 50 per cent.