Today, On 26th July, The Supreme Court ruled that eateries can voluntarily display owner and employee names during the Kanwar Yatra. It extended the stay on directives from certain states, allowing businesses to choose whether to make such information public. The Court emphasized the absence of restrictions on voluntary display and granted two weeks for states to respond. This decision stemmed from petitions challenging the requirement to display names during the Yatra. Critics argued that this directive discriminated against Muslim shop owners, while the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand defended it as a means to ensure dietary adherence and prevent potential law and order issues during the Yatra. The Court reiterated that voluntary disclosure is permitted while requesting states to clarify the applicability of their mandates.
Today, On 22nd July, TMC MP Mahua Moitra criticized the Supreme Court’s interim stay on ‘nameplates’ for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra routes, calling it an “unconstitutional order” contradicting constitutional principles. The bench ruled that state police cannot compel shopkeepers to display their names but can only require them to indicate the food items they offer, with a hearing set for July 26.
The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions today challenging the Uttar Pradesh government’s order for shopkeepers along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names. Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra argues that the directive violates constitutional rights. The move has sparked criticism and is expected to be discussed in Parliament.
