Friday, August 25 2006 16:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kochi: In a blow to the soft drinks majors Coco Cola and PepsiCo, the Kerala High Court today (Aug 25, 2006) declined to stay the State Government order banning the manufacture and sale of their products.

When the petitions by Hindustan Coco Cola Beverages Ltd and Pepsi India Holdings Private Ltd came up for hearing before the division bench comprising Chief Justice V K Bali and justice M Ramachandran, they said the court was not inclined to grant stay and posted the case to September 11 for final hearing.

Though the counsels of the Coco Cola and PepsiCo insisted for an interim stay order, the bench declined to accept their plea.

The bench also said no further adjournments would be given and directed the parties to complete their pleadings before September 11.

When the petitions came up for hearing before Justice S Sirijagan yesterday, the petitioners had pressed for a stay. However, the Judge declined the plea stating that without hearing the state government, stay could not be granted.

The petitions were subsequently posted before the division bench as a PIL seeking prohibition on the manufacture and sale of Coco Cola and Pepsi was pending for consideration before the bench.

In separate petitions Hindustan Coco Cola Beverages Ltd and Pepsi India Holdings Private Ltd had sought quashing of the State Government's ban order of August 10 and order of the Director of Health services of August 11. They also wanted a direction prohibiting the state government from taking action against them.