HYDERABAD: Observing that there is a need to further strengthen the laws for proper emforcement of prohibition of the manufacture and sale of gutka, pan masala and other tobacco products, a division bench of the High Court on Friday issued notices to the secretary to the ministry of commerce and industry, Telangana principal secretary to civil supplies, deputy commission of central excise, state DGP, city police commissioner and others concerned for filing counter affidavits on a petition which challenged the order of the Telangana government prohibiting the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of gutka, pan masala and other tobacco products.
The bench of chief justice TBN Radhakrishnan and justice Ramesh Ranganathan was dealing with a petition filed by Unique Tobacco Products. Seeing the need for an in-depth hearing of the issue, the bench issued notices to the respondents for filing counter affidavits and adjourned the hearing by three weeks.