85 per cent pictorial warning: Karnataka HC special bench begins hearing

BENGALURU: A special bench of the Karnataka High Court, constituted to hear a batch of petitions on the 85 per cent health warning on cigarette and tobacco related product packages, started the hearing on Wednesday.

Emphasising that larger pictorial warnings on tobacco products are necessary to educate people, the Supreme Court in May had directed tobacco manufacturers to immediately comply with the central government’s regulation on increasing the size of such health warnings to 85 per cent of the principal display area on packets.

The SC bench also directed that related petitions in three high courts should be transferred to the Karnataka High Court in two weeks and it should be decided within eight weeks.

“We request all the petitioners that till the disposal of matters by the Karnataka High Court, it will be the endeavour of all the parties to implement the rules whatever as amended. This order will not stand in the way of the Karnataka High Court deciding the matter on merit. Any stay granted by any court shall not be implemented until the final order is passed by the Karnataka High Court,” it had said. Following the SC directions, the High Court of Karnataka constituted a special bench.

HC seeks objections
The High Court on Wednesday directed respondents to file objection to the plea of M.V. Guruprasad, assistant engineer, questioning his suspension. He and several other officers were suspended for allegedly allowing illegal constructions in Bengaluru.