National: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 23, declined to stay the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive mandating that all food establishments along the Kanwar Yatra route display the names of their owners, emphasizing adherence to statutory obligations.
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh ruled that eateries must comply with existing legal norms, including the display of valid licenses and registration certificates. The decision came in response to a petition filed by Delhi University professor Apoorvanand and human rights activist Aakar Patel, who had argued that the directive may lead to religious profiling and breach of privacy.
“We are informed that today is the last day of the yatra or that it is coming to a close soon. Therefore, at this stage, we direct that all hotel and eatery owners comply with the statutory requirement of displaying their license and registration certificate,” the court stated.
While the bench chose not to delve into broader constitutional issues, it did address concerns related to consumer awareness. Justice Sundresh remarked that pilgrims deserve to know the nature of the food being served—particularly if a non-vegetarian establishment is temporarily offering vegetarian food. “The consumer is king,” he added.
Petitioners warned that the move could be a veiled attempt to expose religious identity in a polarised environment, potentially inciting discrimination or targeted boycotts of eateries owned by minority communities. However, the court refrained from engaging in the religious profiling argument at this stage.
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage that draws millions of devotees, prompts states to impose special regulatory measures along major routes. While officials argue that such directives are aimed at transparency and maintaining public order, critics warn they could be misused to marginalize particular groups under the guise of consumer rights or administrative necessity.
Though the court’s verdict focused narrowly on legal compliance, it has left open continued public debate over the intersection of food, faith, commerce, and constitutional freedoms in India’s evolving socio-political landscape.
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