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PETITIONER: A.I. DEMOCRATIC WOMEN ASSOCIATION & ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA & ANR.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       16/03/1998

BENCH: A.S. ANAND, S. RAJENDRA BABU, A.P. MISRA

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      In this  writ petition  challenge is made to the use of the drug  ’Quinacrine’ as  a method of female sterilisation. Following prayer is made:      "a) To  issue a writ of Mandamus or      any other  appropriate writ,  order      or direction  directing  respondent      nos. 1  and 2 to initiate immediate      steps to  ban the use of Quinacrine      in the form of pellets or otherwise      as a method of sterilisation.      b) To  issue a  writ of Mandamus or      any other  appropriate writ,  order      or direction  directing  respondent      nos.   1    and   2   to   initiate      proceedings  under  the  Drugs  and      Cosmetics  Act,  1945  against  all      those engaged  in  the  importation      and/or  manufacture,  transmission,      sale and  use of  Quinacrine in the      form of  pellets or  otherwise as a      method of sterilisation.      c) To  issue a  writ of Mandamus or      any other  appropriate writ,  order      or direction  directing  respondent      nos.   1   and   2   to   issue   a      notification under  Section 26A  of      the Drugs  and Cosmetics Act, 1945,      banning the  use of Quinacrine as a      method of sterilisation."      Counter affidavit on behalf of respondent No.3 has been filed in court today through Ms. Kamini Jaiswal. The same is taken on record.      An affidavit  has been  filed  by  Shri  Ashwine  Kumar working in  the office  of the Directorate General of Health services as joint Drugs controller ( India).      Paragraph 3 of the affidavit reads thus:      " I  say  that  the  respondent  is      taking necessary  steps  to  invoke      the provisions of Sections 10-A and

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    26-A of  t he  Drugs and  cosmetics      Act,  1945,   to  prohibit/ban  the      import,   manufacture,   sale   and      distribution   of   Quinacrine   in      Pellet form  and for  the use  as a      contraceptive. Draft  Notifications      have been  prepared and  have  been      submitted    to    the    competent      authority  in   the   Ministry   of      Healthy  and   Family  welfare  for      approval,   Copies    whereof   are      annexed  hereto   and   marked   as      Annexure I and II."      Along  with  the  affidavit,  copies  of  the  proposed notifications have also been filed.      In view  of the  stand taken  by the Central Government that it is taking steps to ban the import, manufacture, sale and distribution  the drug  "Quinacrine" for use as a method of non-surgical sterilization on woman, not further  orders   are required  to be  made in this writ petition and  we, therefore,  consign the  writ petition  to records as disposed of.