Supreme Court Directs Patanjali To File Affidavit On Removal Of Ads For Suspended Ayurvedic Medicines By Social Media Intermediaries

Supreme Court Directs Patanjali To File Affidavit On Removal Of Ads For Suspended Ayurvedic Medicines By Social Media Intermediaries

During the hearing of the case involving misleading advertisements, the Supreme Court queried Patanjali about the removal of ads related to 14 Ayurvedic medicines, whose licenses were suspended by the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authorities.

Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta were addressing an affidavit submitted by Patanjali on May 17. In the affidavit, Patanjali affirmed that it had taken decisive actions in response to the suspension of these medicines. Specifically, Patanjali ceased the sale of the 14 Ayurvedic medicines mentioned and issued notices to its 5,606 exclusive and franchise stores instructing them to withdraw these products. The State Drug Licensing Authority, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, initially ordered the suspension on April 15, 2024.

Furthermore, Patanjali directed all associated media platforms, including those engaged in print and electronic media, to halt any form of advertising pertaining to these medicines. Additionally, emails were dispatched to e-commerce partners and social media companies, urging them to remove or withdraw advertisements for these medicines.

After reviewing the details, the court questioned Patanjali about the status of ads that were already active on digital platforms. Justice Kohli asked, "What actions have intermediaries taken after your request? Have they removed them?"

Since no clear response was provided by the parties, the court adjourned the proceedings and instructed Patanjali to submit an affidavit within two weeks, detailing whether their requests to social media intermediaries have been complied with and confirming whether ads related to the 14 Ayurvedic medicines have been removed or withdrawn.