Kanwar Yatra Nameplate Row| Supreme Court prohibits enforcement of directives issued to shop owners

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Synopsis

While staying the directive, the bench today has said, "The owners must not be forced to display their names..."

The Supreme Court of India has today stayed the enforcement of directives issued by the state government of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, directing the shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names.

Court was told today that while the impugned orders have been issued to ensure that the Kanwariyas are served vegetarian food, maintaining hygienic standards, the same should be issued by competent authority under the FSSAI Act, 2006.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti have issued notices on the petitions before it making it returnable on Friday.

It was argued today that the said directives were discriminatory on the grounds of religion and would further untouchability.

"To require the vendors to display the name of the owners and the staff in his establishment cannot by itself be termed as a measure to ensure vegetarian or shudh sakahari food...the dietary choice of the yatris can certainly be ensured by requiring only shakahari food to be served on the route of the Kanwarias...", Supreme Court noted today while dictating its order.

Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh appearing for Association of Protection of Civil Rights, submitted that four states, namely, UP, Madhya Pradesh, uttarakhanad and Jharkhand had issued similar orders.

Case Title: Association of Protection of Civil Rights vs. State of Uttar Pradesh