New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the controversial order that called for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of owners.
In its interim order, the bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti observed that it could ‘infringe secular character’ of the Republic and asked the owners to only display the kind of food served in their eateries.
“Compelling all proprietors to display names and addresses, also of their staff, can hardly achieve the intended objective,” Justice Roy observed.
The court has also issued notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh that issued the ‘nameplate order’.
They have been asked to respond by Friday.
While an NGO – Association of Protection of Civil Rights – had moved the apex court against the UP government order. Pleas were also filed by others, including Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, against the directives by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments, which sparked widespread outrage in recent days.
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The pleas alleged that this was done to create a socially-enforced economic boycott on Muslim shop owners and workers, and the loss of their livelihoods. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also argued that order was issued without any authority of law and called it “camouflage”.
CU Singh, an advocate appearing for the NGO, said the order had no statutory backing and that it did not serve any purpose, the India Today reported.
The states had justified their orders citing dietary restrictions that pilgrims are supposed to observe during such yatras.
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