New Delhi: Taking a firm stance against the sale of fake paneer in the market, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the central government, and the Delhi government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) raising concerns about non-dairy ‘analogue paneer’ being sold as genuine dairy paneer.
A bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nitin W Sambre and Justice Sanjay Singh issued notices to the authorities based on the petition filed by Ridhima Singh and Avlokiteshwar Padmapani Sidharth, granting them six weeks to file their replies.
During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel argued that consumers ordering paneer dishes at hotels, restaurants, or cloud kitchens have no practical way of knowing whether they are consuming real milk-based paneer or a non-dairy substitute. “It may be a replica. It looks and tastes like paneer, but unfortunately, there is no way for a customer today to know or have it disclosed whether the dish is a milk product or an analogue,” the counsel stated.
When questioned by the bench about the legal rights being infringed, the lawyer referenced the 2011 FSSAI regulations concerning food production standards. The counsel highlighted that real paneer is a high-protein product, whereas analogue versions primarily contain carbohydrates and lack the same nutritional value. Despite the petitioners seeking urgent interim relief for sampling and testing during the ongoing festive season of Navratri and Dussehra, the court opted not to pass any immediate interim orders, noting that authorities have submitted statistics showing they are already conducting tests.
The petition clarifies that it does not seek a blanket ban on legally produced dairy analogues but specifically targets products being manufactured, supplied, and served under the guise of real paneer without explicit disclosure. This deceptive practice, the PIL notes, raises serious concerns regarding consumer awareness, misrepresentation of food, and the enforcement of statutory food safety requirements.
The plea also drew the court’s attention to strict measures already adopted by states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and Chhattisgarh against analogue paneer. It referenced an order by Punjab’s food safety authorities temporarily banning non-dairy paneer and cited a recent enforcement drive by the Delhi Food Safety Department at the Okhla Sabzi Mandi in August 2026, which reportedly led to the destruction of around 508 kg of suspected spurious paneer. The petitioners have demanded mandatory disclosure by food businesses and coordinated surveillance to curb the misuse of the ‘paneer’ label in the capital.