Warning on cigarette seizures

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court in India last week directed the Maharashtra government to stop seizing ITC’s cigarette brands that were manufactured prior to April 1, according to a story in the Times of India, relayed by the TMA.

The court made the point that a requirement that new graphic health warnings cover 85 percent of the two main surfaces of tobacco packs applied only to products produced from April 1.

The court did not direct the state to return the goods seized so far.

The state’s Food and Drug Administration had seized cigarettes worth Rs3 billion (US$ 45.2 million) in raids across the state.

The tobacco industry has challenged the new health-warning requirements in 23 courts, arguing that the law violates its constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court is due to hear a number of petitions. One, filed by the Karnataka Beedi Manufacturers Association, was due to be held today.