Bombay High Court orders action over FDA canteen reports
The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration Commissioner to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers who prepared inspection reports on canteens
The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration Commissioner to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers who prepared inspection reports on canteens at the State Secretariat and Vidhan Bhavan. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad made this observation after advocates appointed by the court submitted a report that contradicted the FDA’s findings. Plea by restaurants The court was hearing petitions on Friday (August 1, 2026) from Poornima restaurant in Fort, Mumbai, and Park Inn by Radisson, Navi Mumbai, challenging the suspension of their Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licences.
The FDA had suspended these licences following inspections that found black spots on fruits and vegetables at Poornima restaurant and insects at the hotel. Earlier in the week, the Bench had directed the FDA to conduct surprise inspections of government and semi-government canteens. The FDA inspected four canteens at the High Court premises and three at Mantralaya and Vidhan Bhavan. While the High Court canteens showed deficiencies, the FDA reported that Mantralaya and Vidhan Bhavan canteens were 98% compliant with food safety norms. The Bench appointed advocates Kainaz Irani, Swanand Ganoo, Firoz Bharucha and Chandrakant Chavan to inspect the Mantralaya canteens independently.
Their report included photographs showing cooking areas, washing areas, mosquitoes, flies, uncovered food, food covered with cloth, leaking drainage pipes, broken tiles and a refrigerator in poor condition. ‘No VVIP above the law’ The Bench noted that the FDA suspended licences for black spots on bananas and vegetables but did not take similar action for the conditions found at government canteens.The court stated that no VVIP is above the law and that the FDA must apply the same standards to all food establishments. The court suggested Chief Government Pleader Anjali Helakar and Assistant Government Pleader Pooja Patil consider keeping the licence suspension of the two hotels in abeyance and issue improvement notices instead.
When it was pointed out that flies were found in Poornima restaurant, the court noted that flies are present everywhere in India, including in High Court canteens. The court appreciated the FDA’s overall work but noted that the authority’s actions should reflect transparency and accountability. The Bench also questioned why no action had been taken against the officers who prepared the reports.
The BriefWire