Munde’s action wins public praise, but court rebukes FDA over process

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been flying high after the state's food and drugs regulator under him began cracking down on well-known hotels and eateries. Mundhe is being treated as a 'hero' not just by local people but also by national and international media.

However, the FDA has been facing flak and setbacks lately.

The Bombay High Court has, in the past two months, been pulling up the FDA for going overboard in its action against eateries, pharma companies and other establishments without following due process. The HC has pulled up the FDA for cancelling the licences of two pharma companies without following the 'principles of natural justice'. A bench of the HC also warned FDA officials of contempt proceedings after the regulator cancelled the licences of eateries inside the Mumbai Cricket Association even though they were 88% compliant. In another case, the FDA was fined ₹5 lakh after an eatery in Pune saw its licence suspended for several days despite 98% compliance with FDA norms.


The state government, which has been backing Mundhe, has also pulled him up. Mundhe banning the sale of loose edible oil led several traders to petition the government. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis then gave traders a year's reprieve so they could transition to selling packaged oil.