Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
An Act to regulate the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs and cosmetics.
Chapter I: Introductory
Chapter II: The Drugs Technical Advisory Board, the Central Drugs Laboratory and the Drugs Consultative Committee
Chapter III: Import of Drugs and Cosmetics
- 8 Standards of quality
- 9 Misbranded drugs
- 9A Adulterated drugs
- 9B Spurious drugs
- 9C Misbranded cosmetics
- 9D Spurious cosmetics
- 10 Prohibition of import of certain drugs or cosmetics
- 10A Power of Central Government to prohibit import of drugs and cosmetics in public interest
- 11 Application of law relating to sea customs and powers of Customs officers
- 12 Power of Central Government to make rules
- 13 Offences
- 14 Confiscation
- 15 Jurisdiction
- 16 Standards of quality
- 17 Misbranded drugs
- 17A Adulterated drugs
- 17B Spurious drugs
Chapter IV: Manufacture, Sale and Distribution of Drugs and Cosmetics
- 17C Misbranded cosmetics
- 17D Spurious cosmetics
- 17E Adulterated cosmetics
- 18 Prohibition of manufacture and sale of certain drugs and cosmetics
- 18A Disclosure of the name of the manufacturer, etc
- 18B Maintenance of records and furnishing of information
- 19 Pleas
- 20 Government Analysts
- 21 Inspectors
- 22 Powers of Inspectors
- 23 Procedure of Inspectors
- 24 Persons bound to disclose place where drugs or cosmetics are manufactured or kept
- 25 Reports of Government Analysts
- 26 Purchaser of drug or cosmetic enabled to obtain test or analysis
- 26A Powers of Central Government to regulate, restrict or prohibit manufacture, etc., of drug and cosmetic in public interest
- 26B Powers of Central Government to regulate or restrict, manufacture, etc., of drug in public interest
- 27 Penalty for manufacture, sale, etc., of drugs in contravention of this Chapter
- 27A Penalty for manufacture, sale, etc., of cosmetics in contravention of this Chapter
- 28 Penalty for non-disclosure of the name of the manufacturer, etc
- 28A Penalty for not keeping documents, etc., and for non-disclosure of information
- 28B Penalty for manufacture, etc., of drugs or cosmetics in contravention of section 26A
- 29 Penalty for use of Government Analyst’s report for advertising
- 30 Penalty for subsequent offences
- 31 Confiscation
- 31A Application of provisions to Government departments
- 32 Cognizance of offences
- 32A Power of Court to implead the manufacturer, etc
- 32B Compounding of certain offences
- 33 Power of Central Government to make rules
- 33A Chapter not to apply to Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs
Chapter IVA: Provisions Relating to Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs
- 33B Application of Chapter IVA
- 33C Ayurvedic and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board
- 33D The Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs Consultative Committee
- 33E Misbranded drugs
- 33EE Adulterated drugs
- 33EEA Spurious drugs
- 33EEB Regulation of manufacture for sale of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs
- 33EEC Prohibition of manufacture and sale of certain Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs
- 33EED Power of Central Government to prohibit manufacture, etc., of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs in public interest
- 33F Government Analysts
- 33G Inspectors
- 33H Application of provisions of sections 22, 23, 24 and 25
- 33-I Penalty for manufacture, sale, etc., of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drug in contravention of this Chapter
- 33J Penalty for subsequent offences
- 33K Confiscation
- 33KA Disclosure of name of manufacturer, etc
- 33KB Maintenance of records and furnishing of informantion
- 33L Application of provisions to Government departments
- 33M Cognizance of offences
- 33N Power of Central Government to make rules
- 33-O Power to amend First Schedule
Chapter V: Miscellaneous
- 33P Power to give directions
- 34 Offences by companies
- 34A Offences by Government departments
- 34AA Penalty for vexatious search or seizure
- 35 Publication of sentences passed under this Act
- 36 Magistrate’s power to impose enhanced penalties
- 36A Certain offences to be tried summarily
- 36AB Special Courts
- 36AC Offences to be cognizable and non-bailable in certain cases
- 36AD Application of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to proceedings before special Court
- 36AE Appeal and revision
- 37 Protection of action taken in good faith
- 38 Rules to be laid before Parliament
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.