BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: KVHS is a non-Government Organization working in Tobacco control since early nineties. KVHS always seek the support of Judiciary to support government to overcome its hurdles by Tobacco Company Interference. Not only judicial support, filing of Right to Information is another measure to support officials to move ahead. The judicial and RTI efforts of KVHS help the state to advance in tobacco control. The analysis on its judicial and RTI activities found that both the activities help to advanced tobacco control in the state by upscale enforcement and institutionalized systems.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: KVHS filed its first Public Interest Litigation in 2010 and Judgement came in 2012. Thereafter in 2012 KVHS implied seven cases in which tobacco companies filed cases against State government regarding the ban of Smoke Less Tobacco. In 2022 KVHS filed a PIL against a cultural event organised in sponsorship with Tobacco Company. The event was stopped. Thereafter in 2024 Noncompliance of High Court Judgement to constitute School Protection Committees in the State. High Court issued notice to Government of Kerala. Finally again in 2024 another PIL filed against on compliance of film rules. In this case also Hon. H C issued notice. Apart from this KVHS give legal aid and support to MoH &FW in the cases registered by the enforcement Officials of the department. Three state level RTI application filed by KVHS also influenced the enforcement department.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: Total Fine Collection before and after the date of issue of notice to government shows that the amount has a marginal increase after filing the case in compared to previous months. This shows that KVHS’ judicial interventions and RTI Submission made the enforcement departments more vigil and upscale the enforcement.
CONCLUSIONS: So Judicial intervention and filing of RTI are help to advancing tobacco control in the State of Kerala.