Supreme Court Halts Enforcement of Name-Display Directives for Kanwar Yatra Eateries

The Supreme Court on Monday placed an interim stay on directives from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments requiring eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners

Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, asking them to respond to the challenges against the directives.

The court’s interim order prohibits the enforcement of these directives, stating that while food sellers may be asked to display the types of food they offer, they should not be mandated to display the names of owners or staff. The case will be reviewed further on Friday.

The Supreme Court was considering petitions from the NGO Association of Protection of Civil Rights, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and others, who argue that these directives could increase communal tensions.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments had mandated that eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners. Additionally, the BJP-ruled Ujjain Municipal Corporation had imposed a similar requirement for shop owners in Ujjain, with fines for non-compliance.

Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal clarified that the measure was intended for safety and transparency, not to target Muslim shopkeepers. The Kanwar Yatra, which began with the Sawan month, sees millions of Shiva devotees transporting holy water from Haridwar to temples in their hometowns.

(With inputs from agency)