SC canteen starts serving non-veg food during Navratri after lawyers protest citing 'pluralist traditions'

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Synopsis

Lawyers said the canteen had catered to diverse dietary preferences and that the suspension of non-vegetarian food to cater to the religious sentiments of a few was inappropriate

Supreme Court's canteen resumed its service of non-vegetarian food after a group of lawyers showcased their objection to the same. 

SC advocates had written a letter to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and SCOARA objecting to the Supreme Court canteen's decision to not serve non-vegetarian food during Navratri or Navratra.

The Supreme Court's canteen is not serving non-veg and food items containing onion/garlic during Navratras.

Saying that this is the first time, the Supreme Court canteen has announced that it will only serve Navratra food, the letter stated, "This is not only unprecedented and will also set a very wrong precedent for the future".

It was further urged that the canteen should provide its normal menu. "At the same time, we will be glad if they can provide the navratra menu to those observing it," the letter added.

“Once this is allowed, it will open the floodgates to a lot of other impositions as well,” the letter further read. The letter further highlighted that in previous years, lawyers observing Navaratri would bring their own special food without causing any disruptions.

Allegedly, the canteen contractor had not received any official directive to stop serving non-vegetarian food and made this decision independently, following requests from some lawyers.

Supreme Court had only one working day — Friday, October 4 — before it shut down for Dussehra. The court will now reopen on October 14, after the Navaratri period has concluded.