Mumbai, Sep 10: Over 50,000 vendors of pan masala and gutka products have approached the Bombay High Court challenging Maharashtra government's decision banning manufacture, storage and sale of tobacco products across the state.
The petitioner, ‘Mumbai Pan Beedi Tobacco Vyapari Sangh' has sought a stay on the government's notification dated July 19 banning tobacco products including pan masala and gutka in the state on the ground that their livelihood has been affected.
“There are over 50,000 shops selling pan masala and other tobacco products. The civic body issues us licenses after fee of Rs two lakh is paid to them. On January 1 this year, several licenses were renewed for a period of three years. If the government was to ban sale of these products, why were our licenses renewed and fees taken from us,” the petition claims.
The matter was mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar, which posted the matter for hearing on September 12 along with other petitions filed by gutka and pan masala manufacturing companies challenging the notification.
