Key Update

The Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought the creation of a national task force to strengthen food safety enforcement across India. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ruled that the petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, lacked merit and did not warrant consideration.

Petitioner Seeks Nationwide Food Safety Audit

The petitioner urged the Court to direct authorities to conduct a nationwide, time-bound audit and inspection of food manufacturing units, processing facilities, restaurants, and other commercial establishments. The plea also called for stronger enforcement, expansion of testing laboratories, improved inspection infrastructure, and a nationwide grievance redressal and compensation system. During the hearing, the bench questioned the petitioner on the research supporting the claims. The Court observed that the concerns remained general and lacked concrete, evidence-based findings. It clarified that it does not intervene based solely on broad allegations or media reports.

Plea Highlights Concerns Over Unsafe Food

The petitioner raised concerns about unsafe, contaminated, and hazardous food affecting consumers nationwide. The plea named the Centre, states, Union Territories, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as respondents while seeking stronger systems to address food safety violations. The Court stated that it cannot act as a “super regulator,” especially when statutory bodies like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) already regulate and enforce food safety standards. It emphasised that creating or supervising such regulatory frameworks falls outside the judiciary’s scope.

Existing Authorities to Continue Oversight

With these observations, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea and reaffirmed that existing authorities will continue to ensure food safety compliance across the country.

Source: The Economic Times