SC dismisses PIL seeking ban on Coca Cola, Thumbs Up

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL filed by a ‘social worker’ seeking ban on sale and use of Coca Cola and Thumbs up on the ground that these soft beverages are detrimental to health, saying the petition has been filed for extraneous reasons.
The top court rejected the petition and imposed an exemplary cost of Rs five lakh on the petitioner and said his counsel has failed to disclose “why two specific brands in particular are chosen to be the target of the proceedings and what the source of his assertions.”
It said the amount would be deposited within one month with the apex court registry and disbursed to SCAORA (Supreme Court Advocates-on Record Association).
A bench headed by Justices D Y Chandrachud said that petitioner, Umedsinh P Chavda, through his petition has invoked jurisdiction of the court under Article 32 of the Constitution, which appears to be abuse of the process of law. “The petitioner claims to be a ‘social worker’. The affidavit in support of the petition states that the contents of the petition are true to the knowledge and belief of the petitioner. The petition has been filed without the petitioner having any technical knowledge on the subject. The source of his assertions has not been substantiated,” the bench said.