The Governor signed the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertising and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Supply and Distribution) (Chhattisgarh Amendment) Bill

• 20 Jan 2022

Why in News

• On January 19, 2022, Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey signed a bill introduced to amend the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. Now this bill will be sent for the assent of the President.

Key Points

• Amendments have been made in sections 3, 4, 12, 13, 21 and 27 of this Act. Accordingly, by amending section 4, sections 4-A and 4-B have been added.
• Section 4-A 'Prohibition of hookah bars' - Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no person, himself or on behalf of any other person, shall open any hookah bar or operate a hookah bar or any Will not give hookah to the customers at the location.
• According to section 4-B, 'Prohibition of smoking by means of hookah in hookah bar - No person shall smoke by means of hookah or nargil (gadgad) in any community hookah bar'.
• By amending section 13, new section 13-A has been added. According to section 13-A 'Power to confiscate in case of hookah bars- If any police officer/excise officer, authorized by the State Government and not below the rank of sub-inspector, has reason that the provisions of section 4-A have been or is being contravened, he may confiscate any material or article used as the subject or instrument of a hookah bar.'
• New section 21-A and 21-B have been added by amending section 21 of the principal act. Section 21-A - Punishment for operating hookah bar - Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 4-A, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, but which shall not be less than one year, and shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees but which shall not be less than ten thousand rupees.
• Similarly, according to 21-B, the punishment for smoking by means of hookah in a hookah bar - Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 4-B, shall be punished with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, but which may extend to one thousand rupees. shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand rupees.
• By amending section 27, new section 27-A has been added. According to section 27-A, "Offense under section 4-A to be cognizable and non-bailable - Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, offense committed under section 4-A shall be cognizable and non-bailable."