The Supreme Court of India on Monday scrutinized a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the establishment of a national task force to monitor food safety enforcement. During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta questioned the petitioner on the depth of their background research before approaching the apex court with such broad demands.
The court has reserved its order on the plea, which calls for a comprehensive, time-bound audit of food manufacturing units, restaurants, and commercial establishments across the country.
The petitioner, appearing in person, argued that the matter is of grave public importance as it concerns the health of nearly every citizen. The plea highlights the prevalence of unsafe, contaminated, and hazardous food items in the Indian market, suggesting that current enforcement measures are inadequate.
To address these concerns, the petition sought:
- The constitution of a National Task Force or Committee under Supreme Court supervision.
- A nationwide, time-bound food safety audit and inspection drive.
- Strengthening of inspection infrastructure, testing laboratories, and enforcement personnel in all States and Union Territories.
- The creation of a grievance redressal and compensation mechanism for victims of food safety violations.
The bench expressed reservations regarding the petitioner’s preparation. Justice Vikram Nath pointedly asked:
“Other than sermons, what is the averment and what is the research you have done before filing this petition?”
While the petitioner maintained that the issue “is affecting almost every citizen,” the court signaled that high-level policy directions require a foundation of specific facts and documented systemic failures rather than general statements.
The PIL has named the Central Government, all States, Union Territories, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as respondents.
While reserving the order, the bench noted that it would pass a “detailed order” regarding the maintainability and the directions sought in the plea.
