SC classifies Rooh Afza as 'fruit drink'

For generations of Indians, a glass of ruby-red Rooh ‘Afza has meant summer relief — stirred into cold water, milk or desserts, and served at iftar tables and family gatherings alike.

- Utkarsh Anand

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court settled a long-running tax battle over the iconic drink, ruling that Sharbat Rooh Afza cannot be pushed into a higher tax bracket simply because it is marketed as a “sharbat.”

Noting that the drink derives its beverage identity from fruit-based ingredients and is intended for dilution and consumption, a bench of justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan held that Rooh Afza qualifies as a “fruit drink” under the taxation law.

The court allowed the batch of appeals filed by Hamdard (Wakf)