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Synopsis

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea challenging the Varanasi Municipal Corporation's direction to shut down all meat and poultry shops along the Kanwar Yatra route for the entire month of 'Saawan' has been filed before the Allahabad High Court.

The National Loktantrik Party, represented by its National President (Executive) Mohammad Suhail, submitted the PIL plea, seeking to quash the July 19, 2024, order and declare it unconstitutional.

The PIL petitioner argues that this order violates the Fundamental Right to carry on any occupation, trade, or business as guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) and breaches the Fundamental Right to life with dignity and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

The plea highlights that closing meat and poultry shops during Sawan or any other Hindu festival is arbitrary and infringes upon Fundamental Rights. Additionally, the plea emphasizes that the Kanwar Yatra in 'Saawan' is an age-old practice, as are the meat shops, and such orders create an exclusion based on identity.

The plea also contends that the order will severely impact the livelihoods of shopkeepers, as their earnings depend on these businesses, and shutting them down on the grounds of selling non-vegetarian items is unreasonable.

Furthermore, the plea argues that the order unlawfully discriminates without sufficient cause, questioning why only meat shops were chosen to be closed. It calls for a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to compensate the shopkeepers for financial losses incurred during Saawan due to the closure order.

Lastly, the plea seeks guidelines for operating meat and poultry shops during Saawan and other Hindu festivals, aiming to balance religious sentiments and business interests within the jurisdiction of the Varanasi Municipal Corporation.