5-year jail term, Rs 50 lakh fine for ads promoting skin fairness, govt proposes

February 8, 2020

The draft bill proposes extremely stringent penalties compared to the current law

The government has proposed to amend the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.

As per the draft bill prepared by the government, it could slap a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh and imprisonment up to five years for advertisements promoting pharmaceutical products for fairness of skin, deafness, improvement of height, hair loss or greying, obesity, among others.

Under the new draft of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh and up to two years’ imprisonment has been proposed in the case of first offense. In the case of a subsequent conviction, imprisonment may extend to five years and the fine, up to Rs 50 lakh.