The two bench has told that the Tobacco industry should not violate any rule prevailing as of today and has added that the Karnataka high court should hear all the pleas which are challenging the new rules and the Supreme court has on Wednesday told that the tobacco industry to adhere to rules which requires stringent warnings on cigarette packs and has ordered a state high court to hear all the pleas which was challenging the same.
By last month the Indian tobacco companies which was backed by foreign “Big Tobacco” was shut down production in protest against requirements that 85% of a cigarette pack’s surface which will be covered in health warnings up from 20%.
Meanwhile the tobacco industry has taken the governance to court by saying that the rules are impractical and it will enhance the smuggling of imported cigarettes.
The governance backs the stringent rules to cut the tobacco consumption and smoking kills more than 1 million people in a year in India which was given according to BMJ Global Health and the World Health Organization has told that the tobacco related diseases cost in India is USD 16 billion annually.
