S. Cyril Alexander v. Union of India

Cyril Alexander, a tobacco control advocate, filed a public interest lawsuit requesting that the government exclude tobacco companies from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirements mandated by Indian law in order to prevent the companies from earning goodwill. Mr. Alexander asked for the money that tobacco companies would have spent on a CSR campaign instead be paid to the government for medical expenses for people with tobacco-related diseases and other tobacco control programs. The court directed the government to determine how tobacco companies can best meet their CSR obligations. The court asked for appropriate action to be taken within four months of the decision and disposed the petition. 

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S. Cyril Alexander v. Union of India, Writ Petition No. 9955 of 2014, High Court of Judicature at Madras (2014).

  • India
  • Aug 11, 2014
  • High Court of Judicature at Madras

Parties

Plaintiff S. Cyril Alexander, State Convenor, Tamilnadu Peoples' Forum for Tobacco Control

Defendant

  • All India Bidi Industry Federation
  • All India Kattha Manufacturers and Traders Association
  • Department of Public Health, Government of Tamilnadu
  • Godfrey Phillips India Ltd.
  • Golden Tobacco Company
  • ITC Limited
  • Manikchand Group
  • State of Tamilnadu
  • The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Ltd - CAMPCO
  • Union of India represented by its Principal Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs
  • Union of India, represented by its Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • Vazir Sultan Tobacco Company

Legislation Cited

The Companies Act, 2013 (containing a Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme)

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product

None