SAM Secures Interim Relief for Emami Agrotech Against FSSAI Action Before Delhi High Court

• The Delhi High Court granted interim relief to Emami Agrotech Limited on October 15, 2026, against FSSAI enforcement actions.
• The court stayed a FSSAI Show Cause Notice (June 5, 2026) and a nationwide letter (July 17, 2026) regarding Emami's edible oils.
• FSSAI alleged Emami's "Healthy & Tasty" brand name was misleading and violated the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• The FSSAI letter had directed state authorities to stop the manufacture, distribution, marketing, and sale of Emami's products.
• Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co represented Emami Agrotech, securing this relief and a prior one in Calcutta.

The Delhi High Court's decision to grant interim relief to Emami Agrotech against the FSSAI's show cause notice and nationwide directive carries significant implications for food businesses operating in India.

The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order providing significant relief to Emami Agrotech Limited, effectively halting enforcement actions initiated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). On October 15, 2026, Justice Amit Mahajan, presiding over case W.P.(C) 15491 of 2026, directed the FSSAI to refrain from taking any further steps based on a Show Cause Notice issued on June 5, 2026. This directive also extends to a subsequent letter dated July 17, 2026, which had been circulated to Food Safety Authorities across the country.

The court's decision means that, until the next hearing date, the FSSAI is prohibited from advancing its allegations or implementing the enforcement measures outlined in its communications. This judicial intervention stems from Emami Agrotech's challenge to the FSSAI's actions, which the company contended were not in accordance with established legal procedures and principles. The interim stay offers a temporary reprieve for Emami Agrotech against the regulatory body's nationwide directives concerning its product range.

At the core of the dispute was the FSSAI's assertion that Emami's registered brand name, "Emami Healthy & Tasty," used for its various edible oil products, including sunflower oil and kachchi ghani mustard oil, was misleading. The Show Cause Notice of June 5, 2026, specifically alleged that this branding contravened multiple provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, along with its associated regulations. This accusation formed the basis for the FSSAI's subsequent, more expansive action.

Following the initial notice, the FSSAI escalated its efforts by dispatching a letter on July 17, 2026, to Commissioners of Food Safety throughout India. This letter instructed these state authorities to initiate enforcement actions against Emami's products, among those of various other Food Business Operators (FBOs). The directive was explicit: to ensure that the identified products were neither manufactured, distributed, marketed, nor sold. Emami Agrotech subsequently mounted a legal challenge, arguing that these actions by the FSSAI lacked proper legal foundation.

Emami Agrotech's legal team successfully argued for interim relief, asserting that the FSSAI's actions were not compliant with legal requirements. The company's representation before the Delhi High Court was led by Senior Advocate Mr. Sandeep Sethi. He was briefed by a team from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM), including partners Smarika Singh and Saifur Rahman Faridi, Senior Associate Jasneet Jolly, and Associate Ridhima Bhardwaj. Their collective efforts secured the crucial interim stay against the FSSAI's directives.

This is not the first instance where Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas has successfully defended Emami Agrotech against FSSAI enforcement. The firm previously obtained relief for Emami before the Calcutta High Court, challenging actions taken by FSSAI Kolkata. These repeated legal victories underscore a pattern of challenging regulatory overreach or procedural irregularities in food safety enforcement.

The Delhi High Court's decision to grant interim relief to Emami Agrotech against the FSSAI's show cause notice and nationwide directive carries significant implications for food businesses operating in India. It serves as a crucial precedent, demonstrating that regulatory enforcement actions, even those initiated by a powerful body like the FSSAI, are subject to judicial review and can be successfully challenged on procedural and substantive grounds. The court's intervention highlights the importance of regulatory bodies adhering strictly to legal frameworks when issuing notices or directing enforcement.

For companies in the food sector, this ruling reinforces the necessity of scrutinizing the legal basis and procedural compliance of any FSSAI action. It suggests that a robust legal defense can lead to a stay of potentially damaging directives, particularly when allegations involve subjective interpretations like "misleading" branding. The outcome in W.P.(C) 15491 of 2026 underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring fair and lawful regulatory practices, providing a vital check on administrative power and offering a pathway for businesses to contest what they perceive as unwarranted or improperly executed enforcement.

Lawyers and compliance officers advising food businesses should note this precedent, as it demonstrates that FSSAI enforcement actions, including show cause notices and directives to state authorities, can be successfully challenged in court, leading to interim relief. This highlights the importance of scrutinizing FSSAI's procedural compliance and substantive grounds for action, particularly concerning allegations of misleading branding.

Source: Original reporting via legal industry news