The HC sought the Centre’s stand on a plea to label “all items” used by the public, including household appliances and apparel, as “vegetarian” or “non-vegetarian”.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Center to label “all items” used by the public, including household appliances and apparel, as “vegetarian” or “non-vegetarian” depending on their content and “items used”. Asked for attitude. in the manufacturing process”.
Read also: Experts call for nutritional labeling rules
A bench headed by Justice Vipin Sanghi said everyone has a right to know and follow their belief and “seriously examine” the plea of Ram Gau Raksha Dal, a trust working for the welfare of cows, to the central government. said to. There are some “non-vegetarian” products that are inadvertently used or consumed by those who claim to be vegetarian in the absence of proper disclosure.
“It cannot be denied that every person has the right to know what emanates from the right to freedom of expression. The issue raised by the petitioner has as much impact on the right to life of an individual as That person has a right to have and follow his beliefs,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Jasmeet Singh.
It said a copy of the order be given to the concerned secretaries of the ministries of health and consumer affairs for their consideration and directed that the reply be filed within three weeks.
The petitioner, represented by advocate Rajat Aneja, has highlighted in the petition that there are many objects and items which are used in “everyday life”, without the vegetarians realizing that they are either derived from animals or animals. -based products are processed using
Mr Aneja told the court that bon char or natural carbon used for polishing or refining white sugar is not suitable for consumption by people who follow vegetarianism.
He added that bone china products and even crayons contain ingredients of “animal origin.”
The petition states that the information regarding the use of any “non-vegetarian ingredient” must be disclosed and considered as a factor for declaring that product to be “non-vegetarian”.
It said: “Along with various foods and cosmetics that explicitly contain animal-derived products as their active ingredients, various cosmetics as well as foods exist, however, in terms of their ingredients. The list does not include any animal-based products, and is, therefore, marked as vegan, which, however, are manufactured using animal-derived products.” The petitioner clarified that he is not trying to ban any product but “just wants to know the truth”.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Centre, said the petition is for a “genuine cause”.
He said, ‘We will look into it, but if it can come through some direction. That’s the detail. (There is) bone china, sago, sugar,” he said.
Central government counsel Ajay Digpaul submitted that the standards of packaging are governed by the Legal Metrology Act which provides for imposition of penalty in case of violation.
In the petition, the petitioner has submitted that in a country where “the majority of the religious population does not use certain animal products under a religious obligation”, it is the “primary responsibility” of the manufacturers to disclose information relating to the ingredients . any product.
“The petitioner’s primary effort … is not only to strictly enforce the existing rules and policies of labeling products as green, red and brown depending on the nature of the ingredients of a particular product, but also to direct To make it mandatory for the concerned authorities for manufacturers of food products, cosmetics, perfumes; household appliances like crockery, wearable goods (apparel, belts, shoes etc.); accessories (necklaces, wallets etc.), and such To label all products equally,” the petition reads.
The next hearing of the case will be on December 9.
,