Delhi High Court admits PIL on smoking ban in the court

Delhi High Court is reported to have admitted a PIL indicating a ban on cigarette smoking at the premise of the court. The PIL once again draws attention to the fact of people being subjected to passive smoking as a result of such actions.

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The PIL filed clearly sought a ban on smoking in court complex and removal of all shops selling tobacco and cigarette there citing ill-effects on health and contending that people cannot be "subjected to become passive smokers".

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A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the high court's registry to apprise it of the laws in this regard. "Apprise us with the rules and also the area where these shops are situated," the court said hearing the petition, adding "take instruction from the authority concerned before November 23".

The high court posed the query after advocate Vijay Chandra Jha, in his public interest litigation (PIL), stated that "people could not be subjected to becoming passive smokers".

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