As the debate rages over the requirement to display shop owners’ names along the Kanwar Yatra route, the Madhya Pradesh government has stepped in to clarify its stance. On Sunday evening, the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD) announced that there are no state-mandated rules requiring shop owners to display their names along the pilgrimage route.
The UDHD clarified that no such directive had been issued and urged municipal bodies to avoid creating confusion about this matter. “We issued a notice on Sunday evening affirming that no such order has been given,” a senior official said.
The Supreme Court also weighed in on Monday, halting similar orders from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. These states had mandated that eateries and vendors on the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names and details of their owners and staff. The Court has now directed these states, as well as Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, to pause these measures.
The UDHD took note of media reports suggesting that some municipal corporations, including Ujjain’s, were enforcing this rule. However, it confirmed that the Madhya Pradesh Outdoor Advertising Media Rules, 2017, do not require shop owners’ names to be displayed.
Despite earlier reports, Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) officials have stated that no such order is currently in place. UMC Commissioner Ashish Pathak clarified that while a proposal was discussed in September 2022, it had not been enforced. Mayor Mukesh Tatwal, a BJP leader, had earlier indicated that shop owners should display their names and contact details, but this move is now on hold following the Supreme Court’s intervention.
The Supreme Court’s decision has been welcomed by various political parties. The controversial measures by Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand faced criticism from political opponents, including Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and BJP allies like the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Janata Dal-United (JD-U).
