Section 31, FSS Act [S10-4R7]
As at 7 September 2026. In force from 29 July 2010.
(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 temporary stall holder, or small scale or cottage or such other industries relating to food business or tiny food business operators; 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 of commencing or carrying 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.
[...] The Designated Officer must decide the application within two months; a licence may not be refused without giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard and recording reasons in writing, and if no decision issues within the two-month period the applicant may commence the food business. [...]
Defined terms in this text (5)
business: Section 2(17), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "business" includes - (a) any trade, commerce, manufacture, profession, vocation, adventure, wager or any other similar activity, whether or not it is for a pecuniary benefit; (b) any activity or transaction in connection with or incidental or ancillary to sub-clause (a); (c) any activity or transaction in the nature of sub-clause (a), whether or not there is volume, frequency, continuity or regularity of such transaction; (d) supply or acquisition of goods including capital goods and services in connection with commencement or closure of business; (e) provision by a club, association, society, or any such body (for a subscription or any other consideration) of the facilities or benefits to its members; (f) admission, for a consideration, of persons to any premises; (g) services supplied by a person as the holder of an office which has been accepted by him in the course or furtherance of his trade, profession or vocation; (h) activities of a race club including by way of totalisator or a license to book maker or activities of a licensed book maker in such club; and (i) any activity or transaction undertaken by the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority in which they are engaged as public authorities;
business: Section 2, Bengal Indigo Contracts Act, 1836 [S10P0G] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "business" includes every trade, occupation and profession
business: Section 2, Stage-Carriages Act, 1861 [S1228A] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "business" includes every trade, occupation and profession
business: 11 more definitions.
consumer: Section 2(7), CPA 2019: "consumer" means any person who— (i) buys any goods for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment and includes any user of such goods other than the person who buys such goods for consideration paid or promised or partly paid or partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment, when such use is made with the approval of such person, but does not include a person who obtains such goods for resale or for any commercial purpose; or (ii) hires or avails of any service for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment and includes any beneficiary of such service other than the person who hires or avails of the services for consideration paid or promised, or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment, when such services are availed of with the approval of the first mentioned person, but does not include a person who avails of such service for any commercial purpose. Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,— (a) the expression "commercial purpose" does not include use by a person of goods bought and used by him exclusively for the purpose of earning his livelihood, by means of self-employment; (b) the expressions "buys any goods" and "hires or avails any services" includes offline or online transactions through electronic means or by teleshopping or direct selling or multi-level marketing;
consumer: Section 2, Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 [S1AC29] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "consumer" means any person who buys any goods for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment
consumer: Section 2, Orissa Weights and Measures (Delhi Repeal) Act, 1958 [S1F417] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "consumer" means any person who buys any goods for a consideration which has been paid or promised or partly paid and partly promised, or under any system of deferred payment
consumer: 21 more definitions.
food: Section 3(1)(j), FSS Act: "food" means any substance, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, which is intended for human consumption and includes primary food to the extent defined in clause (zk), genetically modified or engineered food or food containing such ingredients, infant food, packaged drinking water, alcoholic drink, chewing gum, and any substance, including water used into the food during its manufacture, preparation or treatment but does not include any animal feed, live animals unless they are prepared or processed for placing on the market for human consumption, plants prior to harvesting, drugs and medicinal products, cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances: Provided that the Central Government may declare, by notification in the Official Gazette, any other article as food for the purposes of this Act having regards to its use, nature, substance or quality;
food: 8 more definitions.
month: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "month" shall mean a month reckoned according to the British calendar
person: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "person" shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not
person: 1 more definition.
Made under this section, or naming it (0)
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Cited by (0)
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Not held (0)
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Duties published under this section (0)
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