The government of Maharashtra has initiated legal proceedings in the Bombay High Court against the Union health ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Filed by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the petition contests a 2023 directive from the central regulator that prevents state officials from conducting enforcement actions at establishments possessing central licenses. Maharashtra authorities contend that this order undermines the decentralized framework established by the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, which designates state-level officials as the primary enforcers of food safety regulations. The state government asserts that the FSSAI has improperly seized authority that belongs to regional regulators, effectively creating a parallel enforcement structure that bypasses state oversight. The petition seeks to clarify the division of powers between central and state food safety agencies to ensure proper regulatory compliance.
Source : Scroll.in
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