SC Issues Contempt Notice To Patanjali For Violating Order On Misleading Advertisements

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Patanjali Ayurveda and its Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna for disregarding its earlier order against misleading advertisements of its products.

Prima facie observing that the company has violated an undertaking, the top court restrained it from advertising or branding its products made for treating diseases or conditions as laid down in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954 and the rules framed under it, till further orders.

Patanjali Ayurved and Acharya Balakrishnan have been granted a three-week period to respond to the contempt notice.

The court gave the ruling while hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association, which accused Patanjali of carrying out a “smear campaign” and negative advertisements against vaccination drive and modern medicines.

On November 21, 2023, a bench presided by Justice Amanullah recorded a statement from Patanjali counsel that “henceforth there shall not be any violation of any law(s), especially relating to advertising or branding of products manufactured and marketed by it and, further, that no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form” and said that the company “is bound down to such assurance”.

Senior advocate PS Patwalia, who represented IMA, told the court that the company had continued to issue advertisements about the efficacy of its medicines violating the undertaking.

When Justice Amanullah asked what the Ayush Ministry had done about it since the petition was filed two years ago, Additional Solicitor-General KM Nataraj said the government would file a detailed reply and is coordinating with different departments to verify the claims.

The court has posted the next hearing on March 15.