SC refuses to entertain PIL seeking health warnings on liquor bottles

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a direction to government authorities to ensure health warnings on liquor bottles like for tobacco products, saying the courts would not interfere in policy matters.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and justices Indira Banerjee and S Ravindra Bhat said such decisions fall under the policy-making domain of the government.

“Liquor is 10 times more harmful than cigarettes. Health warnings on cigarette packets were made mandatory by court orders and the same direction can be passed here also,” PIL petitioner and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay said.

“These all are policy matters. The courts cannot interfere in these matters,” the bench said in the order.

The bench said in the case of liquor, there have been some suggestions that it is good for health if taken in some moderation.

Besides seeking health warnings, the PIL has also sought a direction that, like EIA (environmental impact assessment), which is mandatory for developmental projects having an impact on the environment, the health impact assessment (HIA) of products be made mandatory before declaring them fit for human consumption.