# Bombay HC refuses to hear plea against junk food ban near schools 2026-08-19T15:28:56+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Bombay High Court has refused to hear a plea challenging the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) directive banning the sale of junk food within 50 metres of schools across Maharashtra. The petition was filed by a licensed restaurant operator from Pune, arguing against the prohibition on selling junk food and similar items near educational institutions. The court declined to entertain the plea, effectively upholding the FDA's crackdown aimed at curbing unhealthy food consumption among children. The directive applies to all eateries, vendors, and food outlets operating within the specified radius of schools. The order reinforces the state's efforts to promote healthier eating habits among students. The restaurant operator's challenge has been dismissed without further hearing, leaving the ban in place. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This case is part of a broader regulatory push to combat childhood obesity and lifestyle diseases in India. Similar restrictions have been implemented in other states, but enforcement remains patchy due to vendor resistance and lack of clear guidelines. The key stake is for small food vendors near schools who rely on student footfall, for them, a 50-metre ban could mean loss of daily income. The real test will be compliance monitoring and whether the FDA will expand the radius or include other food categories. Watch for any Supreme Court challenge or state-level policy tweaks in coming months. ## Coverage - ndtvprofit.com Straight news agency-style reporting with no discernible slant, simply stating the court's decision and the plea's content. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bombay High Court, FDA, Maharashtra, Pune Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-refuses-to-hear-plea-against-junk-food-ban-near-schools/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bombay-hc-refuses-to-hear-plea-against-junk-food-ban-near-schools/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/