On 27 October 2017, the Gauhati High Court in a crucial judgment, declared the existing anti-tobacco law in the State as ultra vires. The Court of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Paran Phukan struck down the Assam Health (prohibition of manufacturing, advertisement, trade, storage, distribution, sale and consumption of zarda, gutkha, pan masala, etc, containing tobacco) Act, 2014, as ultra vires in response to a petitions filed by five tobacco manufacturing companies in the year of enactment. Assam was the first State in the country to have an anti-tobacco Act, a move aimed at discouraging consumption of tobacco.
The State government had tabled the Bill which became a law with an idea to improve public health and prevent incidence of cancer and other health hazards and addiction among the people of the State.
