Supreme Court stays Kanwar Yatra eateries nameplate order

The Supreme Court stayed the directions issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments which asked the shop owners to display their names on the Kanwar Yatra route. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti heard the matter and asked state governments to file the responses by Friday. The bench, however, clarified that the eateries should display the type of food being served. Earlier, on the 18th of July, Muzaffarnagar’s Senior Superintendent of Police issued a directive requiring all eateries along the Kanwar route to display the owners’ names. This direction was extended statewide on July 19, 2024. The directive was rigorously enforced across all districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.Supreme Court said that the food sellers must not be forced to serve names of owners, or staff employed. The apex court posted the matter for hearing on July 26. "Compelling all proprietors to display names and address, also of their staff, can hardly achieve intended objective..." Justice Roy reasoned, also adding, "...without support of provisions, if the directive is permitted to be enforced... it will infringe the secular character of Republic of India." The bench was hearing a plea filed by an NGO, the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, challenging the Uttar Pradesh government's order.

The opposition parties hailed the Supreme Court interim stay on the directives by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments asking eateries along Kanwar yatra routes to display owner names. Bharatiya Janata Party's ally Janata Dal (United) also welcomed the order. “I welcome this decision of the Supreme Court. It was our apprehension that this rule will divide the society. The Supreme Court took this matter in its cognizance. I am thankful for this," JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi said.
Congress and the Samajwadi Party welcomed the apex court order. Akhilesh Yadav also hailed the Supreme Court directive, saying,"I had said that the Supreme Court should take cognizance of this matter and stop such action. The government will take many such steps because when communal politics ends, these people will do like this." Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan and Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary, also part of the NDA, had objected to the order.