The Supreme Court administration issued a February 11 circular on its website Thursday, cautioning users against chewing pan masala, gutka, or tobacco and spitting residue into wall corners, washbasins, or water facilities.
Such habits cause blockages, infection risks, and inconvenience, stated Assistant Registrar V. Kannan, urging cooperation to maintain cleanliness.
This aligns with the 2017 FSSAI directive enforcing a Supreme Court-backed nationwide ban on manufacturing, selling, or distributing gutka and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine, per Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2.3.4.
Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital welcomed the FSSAI move, noting the 2016-17 Global Adult Tobacco Survey found 21.4% adult smokeless tobacco use (29.6% men, 12.8% women), with bans helping reduce users by at least 8.1 million.
Similar hygiene concerns have prompted court actions elsewhere, like Allahabad HC banning saliva-stained documents in 2025 and earlier Delhi HC upholding gutka bans.