• CAA to withdraw gazette prohibiting charging  

The Attorney General (AG) informed the Supreme Court yesterday (28) that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) will withdraw the gazette notification issued prohibiting supermarkets and shops from levying charges for polythene bags provided when purchasing goods. 

This was informed to the Court by Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dr. Avanti Perera, who appeared on behalf of the AG, when a fundamental rights (FR) petition filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) challenging the relevant gazette notification was taken up. The FR petition was taken up before a three-Judge bench comprised of President’s Counsel and Justice S. Thurairaja, and Justices A.H.M.D Nawaz and Arjuna Obeyesekere.

In its petition, the CEJ had stated that the plastic bags (shopping bags) provided by the stores to consumers when purchasing goods cause serious harm to the environment. The organisation therefore stated that if a fee is charged for the bags, their use would be discouraged and the environmental damage caused will be reduced to a certain extent through that.

When the petition was taken up yesterday, the DSG representing the CAA informed the Court that the gazette notification which has been issued by the CAA prohibiting the levying of any charge for the polythene bags provided when purchasing goods from shops, will be withdrawn. 

Accordingly, the petitioner party stated that they are satisfied with the decision and subsequently the hearing of the petition was concluded.