Kanwar Yatra Nameplate Row: Supreme Court Stays Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand Government Orders To Eatery Owners

Supreme Court has halted the directives from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police requiring eatery owners along the Kanwar Yatra path to display the names of their owners and staff. The decision came on July 22. The top court deemed the orders issued by the Uttar Pradesh government as discriminatory.

The Supreme Court was responding to a plea from an NGO challenging the orders from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments. These orders mandated that shop and eatery owners along the Kanwar Yatra route display their names.

“Do not compel the owners of eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names outside their shops,” the Supreme Court directed in an interim order to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and others, as reported by legal news website LiveLaw.

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A Supreme Court bench comprising justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti reviewed the plea filed by the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, an NGO.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had brought this controversial order to the Supreme Court’s attention. The petition argued for a stay on these orders, asserting that they heightened communal tensions and aimed to create a socially enforced economic boycott of Muslim shop owners.

Justice Roy as quoted by Live Law stated, “If the intention is to provide only veg food to Kanwariyas…the directive is contended to be contrary to constitutional and legal norms prevalent in our country. It is a contention that the directives are discriminatory.”

On the matter, the court said, “The authority may issue orders under Food Security Act…but powers conferred on competent authority can’t be usurped by police without any formal order supported by law,” adding, “food sellers must not be forced to display names of owners, staff employed”

The controversial order has faced substantial criticism from opposition parties and some allies of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. Critics argue that it disproportionately targets Muslim traders.

Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing petitioner Mahua Moitra, stated, “FSSAI regulations only require the display of calorific values and whether the food is vegetarian or non-vegetarian,” according to Bar and Bench. He further noted, “The timeframe for this order is from July 22nd to August 6th…each day without intervention serves the intended purpose.”

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