Patanjali Halts Sale Of 14 Products After Licence Suspension
Yoga Guru Ramdev’s company orders withdrawal from franchise stores and media, responds to IMA petition on misleading Covid ads
Yoga Guru Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurveda informed the Supreme Court that it has stopped selling 14 products whose manufacturing licences were suspended by the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority in April.
Patanjali told a bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta that it has instructed 5,606 franchise stores to withdraw the products and requested media platforms to remove advertisements for these 14 products from all formats.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which claimed that Patanjali had conducted a negative campaign against Covid vaccination and modern medical practices. The bench will hear the matter again on 30 July. In May, the court had asked broadcasters to file self-declarations on the Broadcast Seva portal managed by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry. It also ordered the central government to establish a new portal for filing such declarations for print media advertisements. Television, radio, and internet associations have also filed applications to intervene in the proceedings.
The suspended products include Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.
The court directed the Centre to consult stakeholders and senior I&B Ministry officials to resolve advertisers' issues and included the Ministry of Consumer Affairs as a party. "We are also of the opinion that the advertisement industry should not suffer in any manner. The focus of this court has already been highlighted in previous orders and needs no repetition. The Ministry is directed to continue the churning of ideas and have further meetings in this direction and file an affidavit making its recommendations," the bench stated, as quoted by a Media house.
The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority had earlier informed the top court that the manufacturing licences of 14 products from Patanjali Ayurved and Divya Pharmacy were "suspended with immediate effect." The Supreme Court had on May 14 reserved its order on the contempt notice issued to yoga guru Ramdev, his aide Balkrishna, and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd in the misleading advertisements case.
