Tajbar Singh Jaggi, Additional Commissioner of the FDA, confirmed the development on Wednesday. Speaking to TNIE, he stated, “Uttarakhand, along with several other states, has recommended prohibiting the online sale of medicines. This provision can certainly be incorporated into the new central law being drafted for drug regulation.”

Sources say the ban is being pushed because traceability and control over online medicine transactions remain difficult. Officials highlight that details regarding who ordered what quantity and which medicines from which online store can easily be obscured, creating a high probability of malpractice.

Currently, Uttarakhand has over 20,000 registered medical stores, many of which engage in online sales and home delivery, a practice that grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA officials estimate the online drug trade in the state runs into crores of rupees, and efforts are underway to compile accurate records of this expanding sector.