6 months ago
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Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh hailed the Delhi High Court’s determination upholding the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) prohibition connected the usage of the word ‘ORS’ (Oral Rehydration Salts) successful nutrient and beverage labels, calling it a large triumph for nationalist wellness and user safety.
Dr. Sivaranjani, who led the ineligible run that prompted the regulatory action, said the verdict is simply a triumph for India and that not a azygous child’s beingness should beryllium endangered due to the fact that of misleading labels falsely utilizing the word ORS. She urged the FSSAI to enactment decisively to guarantee afloat compliance and forestall specified violations successful future.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Sachin Datta connected October 31, 2025, successful Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. & Ors. vs Union of India & Anr, upheld the FSSAI’s orders dated October 14 and 15, and a consequent enforcement connection issued connected October 23, 2025. The tribunal ruled that the regulator’s determination was justified connected superior nationalist wellness grounds and fell squarely wrong its statutory powers.
In its October orders, the FSSAI withdrew earlier approvals that had permitted the usage of ‘ORS’ with prefixes oregon suffixes successful merchandise trademarks, clarifying that lone formulations strictly adhering to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards whitethorn beryllium labelled arsenic Oral Rehydration Salts oregon ‘ORS’. The ruling follows an eight-year run by Dr. Sivaranjani, who had successful 2022 filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) earlier the Telangana High Court challenging the merchantability of beverages misleadingly marketed arsenic ORS.
Petitioner’s challenge
Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s, which manufactures ‘Rebalanz Vitors’, contended that FSSAI’s determination was arbitrary, taken without notice, hearing, oregon consultation with stakeholders. The institution claimed that the orders had a important interaction connected its operations and proprietary trademark rights and infringed its cardinal rights.
The petition pointed retired that ample quantities of its beverage, sold successful 200 ml packs nether apple, orange, and mango flavours, were already manufactured and distributed earlier the FSSAI’s order, and were present lying unsold. According to the petition, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories had a full of 8,47,181 units of its “Rebalanz Vitors” beverage lying unsold successful its finished goods inventory, with a combined worth of astir ₹1.39 crore arsenic of October 15.
The institution argued that without relief, it would endure dense monetary losses since the products could not beryllium sold with existing packaging.
FSSAI’s findings
During the last proceeding connected October 31, the FSSAI, represented by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, noted that earlier approvals (granted successful July 2022 and February 2024) were conditional and taxable to review, and could beryllium withdrawn successful nationalist interest. It recovered that disclaimers connected merchandise labels were ineffective erstwhile marque names prominently featured ‘ORS’, utilizing akin fonts and colour schemes arsenic aesculapian ORS formulations.
Court’s analysis
Justice Sachin Datta observed that the FSSAI’s actions were impelled by superior nationalist wellness considerations and intended to safeguard consumers, peculiarly susceptible groups. The tribunal declined to interfere with the adept body’s method and regulatory decisions, holding that it was not due for judicial reappraisal to second-guess specified argumentation determinations.
“The attack of utmost caution arsenic adopted by the respondents connected an contented which could endanger nationalist wellness gravely cannot beryllium faulted with,” the tribunal said, adding that statutory obligations nether the FSS Act could not beryllium subordinated to backstage commercialized losses.
Relief sought and last direction
The tribunal recorded that Dr. Reddy’s had stopped accumulation of caller stocks and expressed willingness to relabel oregon rebrand existing inventory. The institution besides sought support to merchantability products already successful the proviso concatenation to debar fiscal loss.
The tribunal declined to walk immoderate nonstop relief, alternatively directing the FSSAI to see the petitioner’s practice connected this contented and walk a reasoned bid wrong 1 week, aft affording an accidental of hearing. The writ petition was accordingly dismissed, portion granting liberty to the petitioner to attack the FSSAI regarding the unsold stock.
