Why are you seeking to encroach on others' rights? Bombay HC asks Jain bodies

The Bombay High Court on Monday asked three Jain religious charitable trusts and a city resident practicing Jainism why they were seeking to encroach on the rights of others by appealing for restrictions or ban on advertisements for meat and meat products in print and electronic mediaA division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Madhav Jamdar further noted that the issue falls within the domain of the legislature and it cannot frame lawrules imposing bansThree religious charitable trusts and a Mumbai resident practising Jainism claimed in their plea that their families including children are forced to watch such advertisementsThis infringed on their right to live peacefully and tamper with the minds of their children the petitioners contendedThe high court while hearing the plea on Monday raised questions on the prayers made in the petitionWhat about violation of Article 19 of the Constitution Why are you petitioners seeking to encroach on others rights Have you read the Preamble of our Constitution It makes certain promises Chief Justice Datta saidAlso Read No coercive action till Nov 17 against Anil Ambani on notice under Black Money Act Bombay HC to Income Tax deptThe bench also noted that it may not have the jurisdiction to pass orders on the petitionYou are asking the high court to order the state government to frame a rule law or guidelines to ban something This is a legislative action It is for the legislative to saynot us the court saidThe court noted that while an ordinary person has the option of switching off the television when such an ad comes the court would have to look at the issue on the point of lawThe petitioners then sought to amend the petition to submit relevant orders of other high courtsThe bench directed the petitioners to withdraw the plea and file a fresh petitionThe petition had sought reliefs from the Ministry of Information amp Broadcasting the State the Press Council of India the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department and the Advertisement Standards Council of IndiaApart from these the petitioners also arraigned companies Licious Freshtohome Foods and Meatigo as respondentsThey sought directions to the concerned authorities to frame and issue guidelines to restrict and ban advertisement of nonvegetarian foods across mediaThe petitioners claimed that the advertisements were not only disturbing and causing harassment to people who believe in being vegetarian but also infringe on their fundamental right of privacyIt is the fundamental right of everyone in this country to live with human dignity free from exploitation however the impugned advertisements exploit the minds of children and youngsters by provoking promoting and intimidating to consume nonvegetarian foods the plea saidThe government has already imposed a ban on advertising alcohol and cigarettes and like alcohol and cigarettes nonvegetarian food is unhealthy and causes damage to the environment the petitioners claimedThe petitioners clarified that they are not opposed to the sale or consumption of such food and their plea was only against advertisements of such itemsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever