New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to stay the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments requiring eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display QR codes that provide information about their ownership, according to media reports.
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Kotiswar Singh observed that it was not inclined to examine the legal validity of the directive at this stage, noting that Tuesday marked the final day of the Kanwar Yatra.
“Since today is the last day of the yatra, we are not delving into the legality of the order. However, we direct all concerned hotel and eatery owners to ensure compliance with the statutory requirement of displaying their licenses and registration certificates,” the court stated, as quoted by India Today.
The QR code directive was first issued by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government last month as a security and transparency measure during the high-footfall religious pilgrimage. The Uttarakhand government soon followed suit, enforcing the same directive across its stretch of the yatra route.
The Kanwar Yatra, which commenced on July 11, is one of the largest annual religious pilgrimages in India. During this time, millions of devotees of Lord Shiva, known as Kanwariyas, travel—often barefoot—to collect holy water from the Ganges River and offer it at local or chosen Shiva temples.
The QR code requirement was aimed at enhancing safety, preventing misinformation, and ensuring accountability of roadside establishments serving the pilgrims.
