Section33
The Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules

Power of Central Government to make rules

In force Act 23 of 1940 As on 19 Oct 2026

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so the text below was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Act 23 of 1940 Cited by 3 provisions

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so this text was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules deals with power of Central Government to make rules. The Central Government may [after consultation with, or on the recommendation of, the Board] and after previous publication by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Chapter: Provided that consultation with the Board may be dispens

4[(1) The Central Government may 5[after consultation with, or on the recommendation of, the Board] and after previous publication by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Chapter:

Provided that consultation with the Board may be dispensed with if the Central Government is of opinion that circumstances have arisen which render it necessary to make rules without such consultation, but in such a case the Board shall be consulted within six months of the making of the rules and the Central Government shall take into consideration any suggestions which the Board may make in relation to the amendment of the said rules.] (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may- (a) provide for the establishment of laboratories for testing and analysing drugs "[or cosmetics];

(b) prescribed the qualifications and duties of Government Analysts and the qualifications of Inspectors;

(c) prescribe the methods of test or analysis to be employed in determining whether a drug [or cosmetic] is of standard quality; prescribe, Interesse ological and employers Analyste (d) prescribe, in respect of biological and organometallic compounds, the units or methods of standardisation; 7[(dd) prescribe under clause (d) of $[section 17A] the colour or colours which a drug may bear or contain for purposes of colouring;] (e) prescribe the forms of licences "[for the manufacture for sale or for distribution], for the sale and for the distribution of drugs or any specified drug or class of drugs "[or of cosmetics or any specified cosmetic or class of cosmetics], the form of application for such licences, the conditions subject to which such licences may be issued, the authority empowered to issue the same 8[, the qualification of such authority] and the fees payable therefor "[and provide for the cancellation or suspension of such licences in any case where any provision of this Chapter or the rules made thereunder is contravened or any of the conditions subject to which they are issued is not complied with;] 8[(ee) prescribe the records, registers or other documents to be kept and maintained under section 18B; (eea) prescribe the fees for the inspection (for the purposes of grant or renewal of licence) of premises, wherein any drug or cosmetic is being or is proposed to be manufactured; (eeb) prescribe the manner in which copies are to be certified under sub-section (2A) of section 22;] (f) specify the diseases or ailments which a drug may not purport or claim '[to prevent, cure or mitigate] and such other effects which a drug may not purport or claim to have;

(g) prescribe the conditions subject to which small quantities of drugs may be manufactured for the purpose of examination, test or analysis; 1. Subs. by Act 68 of 1982, s. 27, for certain words (w.e.f. 1-2-1983) 2. Ins. by Act 13 of 1964, s. 23 (w.e.f.15-9-1964). 3. Subs. by Act 68 of 1982, s. 28, for certain words (w.e.f. 1-2-1983). 4. Subs. by Act 11 of 1955, s. 15, for sub-section (1). 5. Subs. by Act 68 of 1982, s. 29, for certain words (w.e.f. 1-2-1983). 6. Ins. by Act 21 of 1962, s. 22 (w.e.f. 27-7-1964). 7. Ins. by Act 13 of 1964, s. 24 (w.e.f. 15-9-1964). 8. Ins. by Act 68 of 1982, s. 29 ( w.e.f. 1-2-1983). 9. Subs. by Act 11 of 1955, s. 15, for "to cure or mitigate". Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (h) require the date of manufacture and the date of expiry of potency to be clearly or truly stated on the label or container of any specified drug or class of drugs, and prohibit the sale, stocking or exhibition for sale, or distribution of the said drug or class of drugs after the expiry of a specified period from the date of manufacture or after the expiry of the date of potency;

(i) prescribe the conditions to be observed in the packing in bottles, packages, and other containers of drugs "[or cosmetics], [including the use of packing material which comes into direct contact with the drugs] and prohibit the sale, stocking or exhibition for sale, or distribution of drugs "[or cosmetics] packed in contravention of such conditions;

(j) regulate the mode of labelling packed drugs "[or cosmetics], and prescribe the matter which shall or shall not be included in such labels;

(k) prescribe the maximum proportion of any poisonous substance which may be added or contained in any drug, prohibit the manufacture, sale or stocking or exhibition for sale, or distribution of any drug in which that proportion is exceeded, and specify substances which shall be deemed to be poisonous for the purposes of this Chapter and the rules made thereunder; (!) require that the accepted scientific name of any specified drug shall be displayed in the prescribed manner on the label or wrapper of any patent or proprietary medicine containing such drug; 3 ** * * 4[(n) prescribe the powers and duties of Inspectors "[and the qualifications of the authority to which such Inspectors shall be subordinate] and '[specify the drugs or classes of drugs or cosmetics or classes of cosmetics] in relation to which and the conditions, limitations or restrictions subject to which, such powers and duties may be exercised or performed;] (o) prescribe the forms of report to be given by Government Analysts, and the manner of application for test or analysis under section 26 and the fees payable therefor; hade there for the exer on 31; and hapter or anysts, and theexercised relation pect Con L'or any ant A Questa "[(p) specify the offences against this Chapter or any rule made thereunder in relation to which an order of confiscation may be made under section 31; and (q) provide for the exemption, conditionally or otherwise, from all or any of the provisions of this Chapter or the rules made thereunder, of any specified drug or class of drugs "[or cosmetic or class of cosmetics]; 9[33A. Chapter not to apply to 10[Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani] drugs .- Save as otherwise provided in this Act, nothing contained in this Chapter shall apply to 5[Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani] drugs.] 11[CHAPTER IVA PROVISIONS RELATING TO 1º[AYURVEDIC, SIDDHA AND UNANI] DRUGS

Section 33, The Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules (Act 23 of 1940).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Questions about Section 33

What does Section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules deal with?

Section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules is headed "Power of Central Government to make rules". The Central Government may [after consultation with, or on the recommendation of, the Board] and after previous publication by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Chapter: Provided that consultation with the Board may be dispens

How do I find court cases under Section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Drugs Cosmetics Act Rules 33, section 33 Drugs Cosmetics Act Rules, section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 26 (Purchaser of drug or cosmetic enabled to obtain test or analysis), section 31 (Confiscation), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.

When was the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules enacted?

Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules was enacted in 1940 as Act 23 of 1940. India Code records no commencement date for it. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Read from the Government's own scanned gazette with Azure Document Intelligence, then split into sections by their numbering. India Code publishes no text for this Act. The scan itself is mirrored into our own storage and served at /scan/053728db-416d-4003-acca-99b3d6b7df6f.pdf, so the reading here can be checked against the page it came from without depending on India Code's own copy staying where it is (it was at https://indiacode.gov.in/server/api/core/bitstreams/2cd6c2e9-226a-4ecd-badb-d1db92507328/content). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.