Jump to full article: The Times of India, 2009-06-22
Intro: he Supreme Court made headlines recently when it asked for records of the controversial group of ministers (GoM) meeting on February 3 after former health minister A Ramadoss alleged that the minutes of the meeting — that took a call on tobacco warnings on cigarette and beedi packets — had been altered under pressure.
The TOI has now accessed records on the basis of which SC supported the government in its stand that Ramadoss had misrepresented facts when he alleged that the pictorial warnings had been reduced under pressure from the tobacco lobby.
The GoM chaired by the then foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee included urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy, former commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath and former minister of state (MEA and I&B) Anand Sharma besides Ramadoss. The ministers, with the exception of Ramadoss, agreed that the pictorial warnings on cigarette and beedi packets should be restricted to 40% of the principal display area on the front panel of the package only.
There was also unanimity that the warnings should not apply to wholesale packaging even if it meant making amendments in the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Packaging and Labelling Rules of 2008. . . .
On May 1, Ramadoss wrote to PM Manmohan Singh protesting that further amendment to the Packaging and Labelling Rules were being contemplated by the GoM to restrict the health warning to the front panel and only on packs meant for consumers. The health minister pointed out that the intended health warning in real terms would actually occupy only 20% space and would not meet the minimum requirement as per internationally accepted norms.
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