State govt planning to make food adulteration non-bailable offence
IN OFFING New bill likely to be tabled in budget session of assembly
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government, planning to crack the whip on food adulterators in the state, may amend the existing laws to make food adulteration a nonbailable offence.
The government is planning to table a bill in the budget session of the assembly to amend sections 272 and 273 of the Indian Penal Code in this regard.
While Section 272 of the IPC deals with the offence of adulterating food or drink intended for sale, so as to make the same noxious, Section 273 deals with selling any food or drink as food and drink, knowing the same to be noxious.
The government is also studying the feasibility of giving life imprisonment for the violation of food laws.
“We want to study all aspects such as legal issues, a strong enforcement mechanism, prevention and awareness. The law will not have much impact unless there is a robust enforcement mechanism,” said Rohit Kumar Singh, additional chief secretary, health department, who heads the committee set up by the government to explore various aspects of amending the IPC and enhancing the punishment up to life imprisonment.
Other members i nclude director, public health, Dr KK Sharma, additional director, rural health, Dr RP Sharma, chief food analyst Pankaj Kumar Midda, and food safety officer (central team) Vinod Sharma and food safety officer Deepak Singhi.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on several occasions had said that the government will take strict action against adulterators. Last year, he had said that the government would bring a new law laying down stringent punishment against adulterators.
Making food adulteration non-bailable will mean that culprits can be arrested at once. Currently, the punishment under the IPC is imprisonment up to six months and a fine of Rs 1,000. Both offences are bailable.
Between January and December 2019, the food safety department seized 6,785 samples, of which 6,657 were analysed. Of these, 1,894 were found to be misbranded, substandard or unsafe. A total of 904 items were found to be substandard, 479 were misbranded and 465 samples were unsafe. while nine contained extraneous matter. 37 samples were found to violate the rules and regulations.
Adulteration of foodstuffs falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution and both the centre and the states can enact laws in this regard. In the past, the states of Uttar Pradesh, West Be n g a l a n d Odi s h a h a v e amended the IPC to increase the term of imprisonment to life term. Maharashtra is the latest state to make food adulteration a non-bailable offence and provide for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court in 2016 directed the centre to examine the possibility of imposing life term for adulteration. The government had appointed a law commission, which too has recommended life imprisonment and a hefty fine for those who manufacture or sell adulterated food.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also recommended life imprisonment and a fine of Rs10 lakh for those adulterating food stuffs. In the draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act, which was passed in 2006 and notified in 2011, the FSSAI has proposed that those who adulterate food shall be punishable for a term not less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 10 lakh. However, the FSSA can only be invoked by the food safety authority in the states and not by the police.
Ajmer 102 Alwar 120 Banswara 198 Baran 61 Barmer 167 Bharatpur 72 Bhilwara 44 Bikaner 129 Bundi 46 Chittorgarh 114 Churu 61 Dusa 18 Dholpur 117 Dungarpur 168 Ganganagar 29 Hanumangarh 96 Jaipur 80 Jalore 32 Jhalawar 100 Jodhpur 38 Karauli 92 Kota 22 Nagaur 136 Pali 98 Pratapgarh 21 Rajsamand 78 Sawai 55 Madhopur
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Udaipur
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Date of notification:
January 7
Notification:
January 7
Nominations:
January 8
Scrutiny of nominations:
January 9
Withdrawal of nominations:
January 9
(up to 3pm)
Allotment of symbol:
January 9
(immediately after the withdrawal)
Voting
(8am to 5pm):
January 17
Counting
(after 5pm):
January 17
Election of up-sarpanch:
January 18
No GPS in Jhunjhunu and Churu going to polls in the first phase of polling
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JAIPUR: Chief minister Sachin Pilot on Wednesday demanded the State Election Commission to conduct Panchayat polls on time.
The Rajasthan Deputy CM also lauded the Supreme Court for removing the stay by the high court over the conduct of panchayat polls in the state.
“The 5-year term of the Panchayat Samitis is nearing completion. If the election is not held on time, there will be a crisis. Elections Commission has the entire responsibility for conducting the elections. Preparations of the state government are complete. There are no obstacles now. The government has no intention to appoint an administrator,” he added while speaking to media in Jaipur.