The Government on Wednesday assured the Supreme Court that it will implement the Food Safety and Standards Act for regulating packaged food products, including cold drinks, by December-end.

While giving time to the Government to submit its status report about the steps taken in this regard, a Bench, comprising Justice C K Thakker and Justice Dalveer Bhandari, said: “We are keeping all the questions open in view of the fact that the Act would be implemented by December-end ... We grant some time to the Government to submit its position about the steps taken by the Committee in the meantime.”

The Supreme Court noted that the Centre at every hearing was seeking time to implement the legislation, which was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and had received the President’s assent on August 23, 2006.

Adjourning the matter till November-end, the Bench observed that crucial time has been wasted since the filing of the petition three years ago.

Explaining the delay, Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran said: “Since it involved integration of various enactments and orders... the decision regarding nodal ministry to administer this Act took considerable time.”

The counsel said that a committee, under the chairmanship of Director General of Indian Council for Medical Research, met on August 10 and a report would be submitted in two months. He also informed that an inter-ministerial coordination committee has been set up to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, raising doubts over the Government’s efforts, the petitioner’s counsel, Prashant Bhushan, said the Act an amalgamation of various existing laws. Bhushan argued that all carbonated drinks should disclose the composition and contents of the products and additives on the bottle, package or container.