The Supreme Court on Monday (July 22) stayed the directive from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments mandating shopkeepers to exhibit the names of proprietors and employees outside their establishments along the Kanwar Yatra route. 

The bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti passed the interim order while issuing notice on a batch of petitions challenging the Government directives, reported Live Law.

The bench clarified that while food sellers should not be compelled to display the names of owners and staff employed, they must clearly display the type of food being served.

The petitioners contesting the directives alleged that the action could led to religious discrimination and raised concerns regarding the authorities' legal authority to issue such directives.

On July 17, district authorities in Muzaffarnagar ordered hotels, dhabas, and other food-selling shops along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names of their owners and staff members. The administration stated that the measure was aimed at preventing confusion among Kanwar Yatra pilgrims, which could potentially escalate into a law-and-order crisis. Subsequently, similar directives were also implemented by authorities in Saharanpur and Shamli districts.

The directive sparked widespread criticism from various quarters, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allies such as Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal. Even BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi came out criticizing the move. 

The Congress party has strongly condemned the directive, with party leader Priyanka Gandhi labeling it as an assault on shared Indian culture and condemning it as a "crime against the Constitution."

The case will be heard next on Friday.