The Supreme Court on Friday continued its interim order staying the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh governments. These directives required eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names and identities of their owners and staff. The bench granted the states of Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh time to file their responses and adjourned the matter for a period of two weeks.
The apex court declined to entertain an intervention application filed by Kanwar pilgrims who supported the state directives. They argued that the directives upheld their fundamental rights to religious customs and practices. The court, however, did not agree with this argument.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by Hindu devotees of Lord Shiva, primarily in northern India. The pilgrimage usually involves collecting water from the Ganges River and carrying it back to their homes or temples. The directives issued by the state governments had aimed to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims during the Yatra. The Supreme Court’s decision to stay these directives suggests that the court may be concerned about the potential for these directives to infringe on the rights of eatery owners and staff.
