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Court upholds cola ban in Kerala

August 25, 2006 13:38 IST
In a blow to the soft drinks majors Coca-Cola and Pepsi, the Kerala High Court on Friday declined to stay the government order banning the manufacture and sale of their products in the state.

When the petitions by Hindustan Coco Cola Beverages Ltd and Pepsi India Holdings Private Ltd came up for hearing, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice V K Bali and Justice M Ramachandran said the court was not inclined to grant stay and posted the case to September 11 for final hearing.

Though the counsels of the Coca-Cola and PepsiCo insisted for an interim stay order, the bench declined to accept their plea.

The bench also said no further adjournments would be given and directed the parties to complete their pleadings before September 11.

When the petitions came up for hearing before Justice S Sirijagan, the petitioners had pressed for a stay. However, the Judge declined the plea stating that without hearing the state government, stay could not be granted.

The petitions were subsequently posted before the division bench as a PIL seeking prohibition on the manufacture and sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi was pending for consideration before the bench.

In separate petitions, Hindustan Coco Cola Beverages Ltd and Pepsi India Holdings Private Ltd had sought quashing of the state government's ban order of August 10 and order of the Director of Health services of August 11.

They also wanted a direction prohibiting the state government from taking action against them.

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