Pictorial...

of the gazette notification on having pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets will be postponed till March 28.

The application for Special Leave to Appeal was yesterday taken up before the Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, Justices N.G.Amaratunga and S.E.Wanasundera. The Deputy Solicitor General gave the undertaking that the gazette notification would not be operative until this matter was mentioned and further steps taken up on March 28.

The Court directed the appellant Ceylon Tobacco Company and the Respondent Minister of Health to deliber- ate and arrive at an acceptable regime regarding the pictorial health warnings.

The pictorial health warning against smoking specified in the gazette notification by Health Minister was originally scheduled to come into effect from March 1.

The Court of Appeal on February 22 refused to grant interim relief sought by the Ceylon Tobacco Company seeking to stay the Tobacco Products (Labelling and Packaging) Regulations gazetted by the Minister of Health.

Justice S.Sriskandarajah (President of the Court of Appeal) had also observed that these regulations made by the Minister of Health is not ultra vires and held that the Petitioner the Ceylon Tobacco Company should comply with the regulation.