Kawar Yatra Row: Supreme Court To Hear Plea Against UP Govt’s 'Nameplate' Order For Shop Owners Tomorrow

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the latest order by the Uttar Pradesh government directing shop owners to display their names outside shops during the Kanwar Yatra.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti is slated to hear the case on Monday, July 22, 2024.

The plea was filed by the NGO, Association of Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).

On July 19, the Uttar Pradesh Government issued an order for eateries, restaurants, dhabas, beverage, and fruit shops along Kanwar routes to display the name of the owner of their outlets. The Muzaffarnagar Police had issued the order initially, however, later, the Uttar Pradesh government extended the controversial directive across the state.

A controversy erupted over the order with Opposition leaders saying it ‘aims to polarise the society”. The issue was also raised in the all-party meeting held in Parliament earlier in the day.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav, raised the issue of the UP government’s order asking shopkeepers to display their names on the Kanwar route in the meeting. “Not the correct thing to do,” said Yadav.

The petition in the top court also comes amid reports of similar orders being issued in Madhya Pradesh. Violators will have to pay a Rs 2,000 fine for the first offence and Rs 5,000 if they defy this order for the second time, Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal said on Saturday.

He further stressed that the measure is rooted in the MP Shop Establishment Act or Gumasta License, and it serves to enhance customer safety.

”Ujjain is a religious and holy city. People come here with religious aastha (faith). They have the right to know about the shopkeeper whose services they are availing. If a customer is dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper’s details allows them to seek redress,” the mayor was quoted by PTI as saying.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also said similar instructions are already in place in his state as well.

Despite criticism, the state governments have defended the order, saying it will ensure that no law-and-order situation arises and so that there is no confusion among Kanwariyas. The order was being followed voluntarily, the district police have said.