SC junks 'luxury' plea over packaged water

The Supreme Court on Thursday disapproved of what it termed an “urban-centric approach” to public interest litigation, refusing to entertain a plea seeking fresh and stricter standards for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for bottled water and other food items, remarking that such causes overlook the far more basic problems faced by large sections of the population.

- Utkarsh Anand

The top court termed the PIL reflective of an urban mindset.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, lamented that while “luxury” petitions frequently reach the apex court, the concerns of the poor and marginalised often remain unaddressed.

Pointing to the stark reality that many parts of the country may still not have access to safe and potable drinking water, the bench questioned the propriety of invoking the court's jurisdiction to seek judicial intervention on standards governing bottled water, which is largely consumed by the urban population.