The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
31. Licensing and
registration of food business. -
1.
No
person shall commence or carry on any food business except under a licence.
2.
Nothing
contained in sub-section (1) shall apply to a petty manufacturer who himself
manufactures or sells any article of food or a petty retailer, hawker,
itinerant vendor or a temporary stall holder or small scale or cottage or such
other industries relating to food business or tiny food business operator; but
they shall register themselves with such authority and in such manner as may be
specified by regulations, without prejudice to the availability of safe and
wholesome food for human consumption or affecting the interests of the
consumers.
3.
Any
person desirous to commence or carry on any food business shall make an application
for grant of a licence to the Designated Officer in such manner containing such
particulars and fees as may be specified by regulations.
4.
The
Designated Officer on receipt of an application under sub-section (3), may
either grant the licence or after giving the applicant an opportunity of being
heard and for reasons to be recorded in writing, refuse to grant a licence to
any applicant, if he is satisfied that it is necessary so to do in the interest
of public health and shall make available to the applicant a copy of the order:
Provided that if a licence is not issued within two months from the date of
making the application or his application is not rejected, the applicant may
start his food business after expiry of the said period and in such a case, the
Designated Officer shall not refuse to issue a licence but may, if he considers
necessary, issue an improvement notice, under section 32 and follow procedures
in that regard.
5.
Every
licence shall be in such form and subject to such conditions as may be specified
by regulations.
6.
A
single licence may be issued by the Designated Officer for one or more articles
of food and also for different establishments or premises in the same area.
7.
If
the articles of food are manufactured, stored, sold or exhibited for sale at
different premises situated in more than one area, separate applications shall
be made and separate licence shall be issued in respect of such premises not
falling within the same area.
8.
An
appeal against the order of rejection for the grant of licence shall lie to the
Commissioner of Food Safety.
9.
A
licence unless suspended or cancelled earlier shall be in force for such period
as may be specified by regulations:Provided that if an application for a
renewal of licence is made before the expiry of the period of validity of the
licence, the licence shall continue to be in force until orders are passed on
the application.
10.
The
licence shall subsist for the benefit of the deceased's personal representative
or any other member of his family, until the expiry of-
a. the period of three
months beginning with his death; or
b. such longer period as
the Designated Officer may allow.