Supreme Court Questions QR Code Mandate for Eateries During Kanwar Yatra

Supreme Court Seeks Government Responses

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court requested feedback from the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand regarding a petition that contests the requirement for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display QR codes containing the names and identities of their owners.

The court has instructed both states to submit their responses within a week. Despite the states' request for a two-week extension, the bench, comprising Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, acknowledged the petitioner's claim that the issue is urgent.

The next hearing for this case is scheduled for July 22.

Background on Kanwar Yatra

During the Kanwar Yatra, devotees, known as Kanwariyas, travel long distances to gather water from the Ganga at Haridwar, which they then transport back to their home states for temple offerings.

Participants primarily hail from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.

This year's Kanwar Yatra commenced on Saturday and is set to conclude on August 9.

Details of the Petition

The petition was initiated by Apoorvanand, a professor at Delhi University, who contends that the QR code requirement infringes upon a 2024 interim ruling by the Supreme Court that prohibited the enforcement of identity disclosure among vendors.

The petition argues that the mandatory QR codes for food stalls and eateries along the pilgrimage route would allow pilgrims and others to access personal information about business owners.

It claims that this requirement not only contradicts the Supreme Court's previous stay but also poses a risk of discriminatory profiling, particularly against vendors from minority communities, under the pretext of public safety and licensing regulations.

Concerns Over Privacy and Dignity

The petition asserts that the government's directives violate fundamental rights to privacy and dignity.

It emphasizes that while vendors must display licenses, these should be kept inside their establishments rather than prominently displayed outside or through public QR codes.

The petition further criticizes the vague and overly broad directives, suggesting they conflate licensing requirements with an unlawful demand for religious identity disclosure, potentially leading to violent enforcement by both vigilante groups and authorities.