Supreme Court Refuses to Stay QR Code Mandate for Eateries Along Kanwar Yatra Route

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to stay the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments’ order mandating eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display QR codes linked to food safety compliance. The apex court, however, directed all restaurants and dhabas on the pilgrimage path to prominently display their statutory licenses and registration certificates, in line with legal obligations.

The bench, led by Justice B.R. Gavai, refused to interfere with the QR code requirement, stating that the court would not intervene at this stage, especially since the Kanwar Yatra concludes today. The matter had reached the court through a plea by academic Apoorvanand and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who argued that the QR code system could potentially expose the religious identity of vendors, thereby encouraging profiling—particularly of minority community members.

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration defended the move, asserting that the QR code only links to the Food Safety Connect app and does not disclose sensitive personal details such as religious or caste identities. The state government maintained that the initiative was part of a national food safety campaign and not targeted specifically at the Kanwar Yatra.

The petitioners had cited a previous Supreme Court order from 2024, which had barred the disclosure of vendors’ religious identities along the pilgrimage route. They argued that the current QR code directive violated that precedent by indirectly enabling such identification.

While not staying the QR code directive, the court reaffirmed the importance of legal food safety compliance and transparency. It underlined that eateries must display licenses and registrations to ensure accountability during the high-footfall pilgrimage season.

The issue remains unresolved for now, with further legal scrutiny likely in subsequent hearings beyond the Yatra season.