Supreme Court Extends Order on Displaying Owner Names During Kanwar Yatra

New Delhi, India – The Supreme Court of India has extended its interim order that stops state authorities from forcing eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners. This decision was made by a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti, who have given the governments of Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh more time to respond to the pleas.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, argued that the Central Law Food and Safety Standards Act, 2006, requires all food sellers, including ‘dhabas’, to display the names of their owners. He stated that the Supreme Court’s interim order contradicts this central law.

Deputy Advocate General of Uttarakhand, Jatinder Kumar Sethi, also supported the requirement, saying it helps prevent law and order problems during the Kanwar Yatra. However, the bench clarified that while shops can voluntarily display owner names, they cannot be forced to do so.

The Supreme Court was hearing petitions challenging a directive from the Senior Superintendent of Police in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, which required shop owners to display their names during the Kanwar Yatra season. This directive was reportedly enforced in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh.

On July 22, the Supreme Court put an interim stay on these directives and issued notices to the states involved. The Uttar Pradesh government has since filed an affidavit defending the directive, stating it aims to ensure transparency and prevent misunderstandings about the type of food being sold, which could lead to tensions among the Kanwariyas.

The petitions against the directive were filed by Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand, and activist Aakar Patel. They argue that the directive causes religious discrimination and question the authority of the officials to issue such orders.