India

The Court heard several interim applications concerning a previous Court order that called for the notification of rules to restrain manufacturers of gutkha, tobacco, and pan masala from using plastic material in the sachets of their products.  The Court found there was no justification to modify the order and rejected the petitioner's request to extend the implementation date.  The Court, however, accepted an application that prayed for leave to challenge the rules and to seek direction to the Ministry of Environments and Forests to identify alternative forms of safe packaging for gutkha, tobacco and pan masala.