The Indian Supreme Court on Monday 14 July sought response from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments on a petition challenging the direction to food vendors on the Kanwar Yatra route to put QR code stickers on banners. These QR codes will provide pilgrims with identification information of the owners.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh issued notice to both the states and posted the matter for hearing next Tuesday.
During the hearing, the bench said, "List the matter next week. In the meantime, let the states file their replies."
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The direction under challenge mandates food vendors to display QR codes, which when scanned reveal the identity of the owners. The application argued that the apex court had stayed such requirements last year itself and the current move violates that interim order.
Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the petitioners, urged for urgent intervention and stressed that the Kanwar Yatra is coming to an end in 10-12 days, making the matter extremely time-sensitive. Senior advocates Chander Uday Singh and Huzefa Ahmadi also represented the petitioners. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Advocate General Jatinder Kumar Sethi had sought two weeks' time to respond, but the court granted only one week.
The plea, filed by Professor Apoorvanand and activist Aakar Patel, has sought a stay on all government directions that require the ownership or employees of food vendors on the Kanwar Yatra route to be publicly disclosed or assist in doing so.
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The application said, "The new measures mandate display of QR codes on all eateries on the Kanwar route revealing the names and identities of the owners, thereby leading to the same discriminatory profiling that was earlier prohibited by this Hon'ble Court."
The plea claimed that these directions were deliberately issued to circumvent last year's court orders and carry out religious profiling of vendors. It alleged that the move was politically motivated, aimed at polarisation and discrimination on the basis of religious identity.
According to the petitioners, eateries are already required to keep and display their licences, but only within the premises. The government’s latest order—publicly displaying names and identities on hoardings or banners with QR-codes—goes beyond legal requirements.
The petition states, “The directive to disclose religious and caste identities under the guise of ‘legal licence requirements’ is violative of the right to privacy.”
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They argue that such measures can lead to mob violence, especially against vendors from minority communities. The petition also stresses that the licence certificate, which contains ownership details, should be displayed only inside the shop—not externally on public banners.
Title: Apoorvanand Jha & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., W.P.(Crl.) No. 328/2024 (and connected cases).
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