MAM
AFTC backs Tobacco Control Bill ban on advertising
MUMBAI: The Tobacco Control Bill, due to be tabled in the parliament shortly by the union minister of parliamentary affairs, health and family welfare Sushma Swaraj, has received a boost.
The Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control (AFTC) has been formed to support the government as it presents the bill. The forum consists of a coalition of health professionals, research scientists, NGOs and like-minded people from organisations like the Cancer Patients Aid Association, Consumer Education and Research Centre, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
The Bill seeks to put a total ban on advertising of tobacco products and prohibits sponsorship of sports and cultural events either directly or indirectly. It also prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors, and specifies that the new warning on cigarette packs should be more prominent in terms of liability, language, colour and display. The Bill proposes that the nicotine and tar content will have to be specified on packs. Goods without specified warnings on nicotine and tar will be confiscated and penalties will be levied.
Last March, delegates to the World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed upon the wording of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world’s first anti-tobacco treaty. The Indian Tobacco Control Bill has many provisions similar to FCTC; and if made into an Act, will establish India as the pioneer nation to conform to WHO standards regarding tobacco.
WHO projections state that by 2030, tobacco will be the leading cause of death, claiming 10 million lives a year. The proportion of tobacco-related deaths that occur in developing countries is expected to increase from the current 50 per cent of global tobacco related deaths to 70 per cent for the same period. The incidence could be higher in India, with one billion cigarettes currently being smoked everyday.
It wouldn’t be surprising if tobacco related deaths, which currently number 800,000-900,000 per year, rise three to four-fold over the next 30 years. Heart diseases, cancers and chronic respiratory ailments are among the principal causes of death due to tobacco which is a cause of more than 25 diseases. Recent research from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) reveals that there are 700,000-900,000 cancer cases in India per year, with an estimated 250,000 cases being tobacco related.
Tobacco farming is not just socially undesirable but also economically unfavourable. While the total excise from tobacco in India was Rs 69.34 billion in 1999-2000, the estimated health costs as a result of tobacco consumption was over Rs 270 billion during this period.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
