A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan was hearing a case in which the Court had earlier urged the FSSAI to consider introducing such warning labels in the interest of public health.
The Court asked if the FSSAI was bowing down to corporate entities involved in food manufacture.
There is immense pressure at the end of all these corporate houses on you.
We are doing this in public interest.
The Court was also not impressed by an explanation that many Indian foods, like namkeens, would also end up being labelled as high in fat, sugar or salt if such warning labels are introduced.
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan was hearing a case in which the Court had earlier urged the FSSAI to consider introducing such warning labels in the interest of public health.
Today, the Court took critical note that the FSSAI was hesitant to implement such a measure, going by a the minutes of a meeting held by the food standards watchdog.
The Court asked if the FSSAI was bowing down to corporate entities involved in food manufacture.
"Are you taking the court for a toss? ... There is immense pressure at the end of all these corporate houses on you. And you are succumbing to that pressure! We are doing this in public interest. Keep it in mind. We are not doing it for ourselves. Why are you not abiding by our order? What have you done so far? We know the pressure on you. Will you do it on your own or should we pass an order?" the Bench remarked.
The Court was also not impressed by an explanation that many Indian foods, like namkeens, would also end up being labelled as high in fat, sugar or salt if such warning labels are introduced.
"You don’t want people of this country to remain healthy? More particularly growing children?" the Court asked.
