The Bench was reviewing a series of petitions contesting a recent directive from the Uttar Pradesh Police in Muzaffarnagar, which required shop owners to display their names outside their establishments during the Kanwar Yatra season. On July 19, the Uttar Pradesh government mandated that food and beverage shops along Kanwar Yatra routes must display the name and identity of the operator or owner. The Uttar Pradesh government has defended the decision as a measure for maintaining law and order. Today, the Court was informed that similar directives have been issued in other states as well.

The decision has faced criticism for allegedly revealing the religious identity of shop owners, which some argue discriminates against Muslim proprietors. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand, activist Aakar Patel, and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra have challenged the directive before the Supreme Court.

At the outset today, the Court inquired whether a formal order had been issued to enforce the directive. Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh, representing the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, stated that although authorities claimed the directive was voluntary, it was being enforced in practice.

Singh further argued that the majority of those affected by the directive are impoverished vegetable and tea stall owners, who would suffer severe economic consequences from being subjected to such measures. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Trinamool Congress MP, added that the Court's question about a formal order could not be answered with a simple 'Yes' or 'No,' as a concealed order had indeed been issued.

"The idea is exclusion by identity," Singhvi said.