Delhi High Court Urges Govt to Address Hookah Sale on E-commerce Sites

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to take action on a Public Interest Litigation concerning the illicit sale of hookahs online without health warnings. A three-month deadline has been set for the Centre to respond and make necessary regulatory decisions.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to treat a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the alleged illegal sale of hookahs and related products on e-commerce platforms, which often lack health warnings, as a formal representation. The Court imposed a three-month deadline for the Centre to respond with appropriate regulatory measures.

A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, along with Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, observed that the petitioner, Jagatmitra Foundation, had not approached the authorities before filing the plea. The Court advised the petitioner to initiate suitable proceedings if unsatisfied with the authority's final decision. The High Court instructed the concerned Centre authorities to address the PIL as a formal representation and take necessary actions per existing laws.

The Court highlighted the non-enforcement of statutory provisions regarding hookah sales and mandated the Centre to establish standard operating procedures. The petitioner argued that public hookah use poses significant health hazards, including second-hand smoke and disease transmission, and condemned the unregulated online sale of tobacco products as a public health violation. The petitioner called for a comprehensive regulatory framework to tackle these issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)