'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative

In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

The Court was hearing a Miscellaneous Application in the Public Interest Litigation (W.P.(C) No. 437/2024) filed by 3S And Our Health Society. While the main petition was disposed of in April 2025 with directions to expedite amendments to labelling regulations, the recent compliance affidavit filed by FSSAI failed to impress the bench.

"Prima-facie, we are of the view that whatever exercise has been undertaken so far has not yielded any positive or good result. The PIL was filed with a particular purpose. It raised an important issue as regards the right to health of the citizens of this country," the Court observed in its order dated February 10, 2026.

The bench highlighted a specific suggestion from the petitioner's counsel, emphasizing the need for clear warnings on packets. To illustrate the point, the Court referenced international practices, including a model from Israel, which uses distinct red warning labels for harmful nutrients. The order noted, "The suggestion is that on the wrapper/packet of any pre-packaged food product, there must be a warning in the form of front-of-package labelling... FoPL is something which is internationally prevalent." The FSSAI has been directed to revert to the Court within four weeks, with the matter listed for further hearing on March 10, 2026.

Public Health Experts Urge Minister to Act

Adding pressure on the government, a coalition of 29 public health and consumer organisations has written to Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda, urging the immediate and effective implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives.

In a letter dated February 26, 2026, led by Dr. Arun Gupta, Convenor of Nutrition Advocacy for Public Interest (NAPi), the groups expressed their solidarity with the Court's stance. They highlighted that India is experiencing a rapid rise in consumption of packaged foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), which is a key driver of the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic, including diabetes and obesity.

The organisations pointed to the model illustrated in the Supreme Court order, which they noted is based on the Israeli system—a policy developed by an independent scientific committee without industry influence.

"This policy has been long overdue... We write to express our solidarity and share the scientific evidence and respectfully urge you to ensure timely and effective implementation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directions for the mandatory front-of-pack warning labels," the letter stated.

The groups have also recommended that the regulation-making process in India remain independent, ensuring that the food industry and its allies are not part of the decision-making committee to safeguard public interest.

With the next hearing scheduled for March 10, 2026, all eyes are now on FSSAI to see whether it will adopt a robust warning label system—such as the "High In" black triangle or red label format—to empower Indian consumers to make healthier choices.

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov, the artist who survived Stalin's cultural purges

By Harsh Thakor* Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov (September 14, 1885 – April 20, 1964) was a Soviet artist, professor, academician, and teacher. His work was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize, the highest artistic honour of the USSR. His paintings traced the development of socialist realism in the visual arts while retaining qualities drawn from impressionism. Gerasimov reconciled a lyrical approach to nature with the demands of Soviet socialist ideology.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Public money, private profits: Crop insurance scheme as goldmine for corporates

By Vikas Meshram The farmer in India is not merely a food provider; he is the soul of the nation. For centuries, enduring natural calamities and bearing debt generation after generation while remaining loyal to the soil, this community now finds itself trapped in a different kind of crisis. In February 2016, the Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) with the stated objective of freeing farmers from the shackles of debt. It was an ambitious attempt to provide a strong safety net to cultivators repeatedly devastated by excessive rainfall, drought, and hailstorms.

Development at what cost? The budget's blind spot for the environment

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The historical ills in the relationship between capital and the environment have now manifested in areas commonly referred to as the "environmental crisis." This includes global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, the devastation of tropical forests, mass mortality of fish, species extinction, loss of biodiversity, poison seeping into the atmosphere and food, desertification, shrinking water supplies, lack of clean water, and radioactive pollution.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Search This Blog