Delhi HC Orders Patanjali to Remove "40 herbs" Line Against Dabur Ads

As per the news reports, on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court disposed the Patanjali Ayurved’s appeal against a July single-judge order obtained by Dabur India, which had restricted Patanjali from running ads said to disparage Dabur’s Chyawanprash. 

The bench ruled that while Patanjali may retain the phrase “why use ordinary Chyawanprash,” the company must remove the line “made with 40 herbs.”

Court’s Position On Disputed Claims

The earlier single-judge ruling had identified two problematic parts of Patanjali’s commercials: “Why settle for ordinary Chyawanprash made with 40 herbs?” and another, “Jinko Ayurved aur Vedo ka gyaan nahi, Charak, Sushrut, Dhanvantri aur Chyawanrishi ki parampara ke anuroop, original Chyawanprash kaise bana payenge?” 

On appeal, the Division Bench of Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla upheld the injunction against the second line and recorded Patanjali’s undertaking to delete the “40 herbs” reference.

The judges commented, “Moment you put 40 herbs, it is a direct target to them (Dabur). Why should we interfere?” But they drew a distinction regarding the phrase “ordinary,” observing, “Ordinary is generally alright. Everyone has the right to say mine is superb and the rest ordinary.”

Patanjali’s Undertaking And Dabur’s Stance

During proceedings, Patanjali’s counsel clarified that the company would drop the ‘40 herbs’ reference and would not pursue its challenge against the deleted television commercial line. 

Instead, the campaign would focus on describing rival products as “ordinary.” Dabur’s lawyer accepted this, stating he was agreeable to the disposal of the appeal provided Patanjali remained bound by its assurance to the court.

Read More: Delhi Govt to Pay ₹140 Crore in EV Subsidies Following High Court Order!

Conclusion

The High Court’s decision ensures Patanjali cannot directly target Dabur with “40 herbs” or references to ayurvedic lineage but retains some freedom to call competing products “ordinary.” The ruling underlines the fine line between promotional claims and disparagement in India’s fast-growing ayurvedic products market.

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