The Supreme Court today extended its interim order maintaining the status quo on the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments, which require eateries along the Kanwariya pilgrimage route to display the names of their owners and staff.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and R. Mahadevan was hearing petitions filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Professor Apoorvanand, and columnist Aakar Patel challenging the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments.

At the last hearing, the matter was adjourned because the State of Uttar Pradesh had filed a counter-affidavit just a day before, which had not yet been recorded. Despite objections from the state authorities, the court extended its earlier interim order that had stayed the directives.

Today, the matter could not be heard. However, as the bench was rising, a counsel noted that the Kanwar Yatra is currently ongoing and that Saavan will end on August 19. The counsel suggested that if the case is heard before then, the issues could potentially be resolved.

The bench, without issuing specific orders for the individual cases that remained to be heard, directed that the matter be re-listed.