The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court granted R Viduthalai, senior counsel, and G Sankaran, advocate, – who argued a writ petition on behalf of a group of traders' bodies in the southern city against certain provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), 2011, last week – interim stay on the regulations. This was known through a statement sent via e-mail by Ganesh Jeyaraj, member, Madurai Managar Anaitthu Vanigargal Nala Sangam.
Incidentally, the body is one of many associations from all over the country opposing the contentious provisions. Its president, L Thangavel, also heads the Madurai chapter of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sankankalin Peramaippu – whose parent organisation is led by A M Vikramaraja. Another body from the state that had submitted its objections to the regulations to the Central government was Tamil Nadu Food Grains Association Ltd, headed by S P Jeyapragasam.
The regulations of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, have been stayed pending disposal of the writ petition; and the Bench also granted an interim injunction restraining Tamil Nadu's food safety commissioner, his subordinates and officers from enforcing the FSSR's licensing and registration regulations against the petitioners, who are petty manufacturers.
P Arivarasu was Madurai Managar Anaitthu Vanigargal Nala Sangam's co-petitioner. The co-respondents named in the petition were the Union of India (represented by its secretary to the government, ministry of health and family welfare) and the state food safety commissioner. S R A Ramachandran was the counsel for the respondents. Justice K Venkataraman was the judge.
