Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments notice on Kanora Yatra-Kir Code dispute

by Hammad khalil July 21, 2025

written by Hammad khalil July 21, 2025 0 comments

New Delhi, (UNI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on a petition, which allegedly challenged the instructions to show ‘QR Code’ on the way to Kanora Yatra.

A bench of Justice MM Sandrish and Justice N. Kotisar Singh directed the two states to respond within a week on the petition filed by Professor of Delhi University, Apurwanand Jha and others. The court has decided on July 22 for the next hearing of the case. It should be noted that the Kanod Yatra starting from July 11 will continue till 9 August.

Senior advocate Chandra Ud Singh, Hajifa Hamdi and Shadan Frost appeared in the court, while the Uttarakhand government was represented by Additional Advocate General Jitendra Kumar Shetty. Professor Jha in his petition argued that these instructions violate the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision. The court had said in its judgment that shopkeepers could not be forced to disclose their identity on the way to Kanwar Yatra. This type of instruction is a violation of Article 14, 15, 17, 19 and 21.

The petition, citing some media reports, claim that QR code is mandatory at all food locations on the Kanodadara route, which allows the buyer to get information about the owner.

The request of Professor Jha stated that instructions regarding QR code deliberately violate the court’s instructions for fulfilling unconstitutional objectives through digital sources.
The petition states that as long as the court issues immediate instructions to prevent the defendants from continuing this indirect implementation, the affected shopkeepers, especially the threat of irreparable damage to the basic rights of the minority community will remain.
The applicant requested the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to direct the QR Code -Appeared Identity Ban or any other instruction that shows the ownership or religious identity of the shopkeepers.

The petition also demanded that the states be filed to file an affidavit and clarify that existing restrictions do not violate constitutional rights.

The petitioner says that the court should direct the Supreme Court that the restrictions are limited to licensing needs and they do not include vague and unnecessary instructions such as disclosing the name or identity.
The petition also claims that it is now clear that two state governments are re -explaining the same instructions, ignoring the court ban in the name of public safety and law and order, under which the owner’s name is clearly mentioned in every shop like last year.