The Supreme Court issued a stern warning to the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for its inaction regarding misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved. The court criticised the Authority for being in a "deep slumber" and accused it of attempting to delay the matter despite being informed about the misleading ads.

A bench comprising justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah questioned the Authority's motives, suggesting that it might be colluding with the respondents and deliberately ignoring the issue. The bench expressed shock at the Authority's lack of action over the past four to five years, apart from simply processing paperwork.

The court raised the possibility of suspending the officers responsible for this inaction and rebuked the Authority's counsel when they mentioned the officers' good intentions. The bench emphasised that nine months should have been sufficient for the incumbent joint director to take action, suggesting complicity on the part of their predecessor as well.

The Authority's detailed affidavit explaining its actions was not well-received by the court, which noted the disdain shown by Divya Pharmacy, a Patanjali subsidiary, towards the Authority's notices. The court warned that if it did not intervene, the Authority might neglect its duties under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, waiting for a court order to act.

The court also directed the predecessor of the current joint director and district Ayurvedic and Unani officers from Haridwar to submit affidavits explaining their inaction during their respective tenures. It criticised the officer for merely forwarding files without taking substantive action, calling it a dereliction of duty.

Refusing to accept the apologies from yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved's managing director Balkrishna, the court deemed them superficial and stressed the seriousness of the matter. The Supreme Court is hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) regarding a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern medicine systems.