In response to Uttar Pradesh’s ban on halal-certified goods, the Supreme Court on Monday granted office-bearers of Halal India Limited and Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra temporary immunity from any coercive action.
On January 5, the Supreme Court (SC) refused to grant them temporary protection from arrest in response to petitions filed by the two bodies contesting the constitutionality of the notification “prohibiting the manufacturing, storage, sale, and distribution of food products with halal certification within the State of Uttar Pradesh, except for items produced for export.”
On January 25, Mahmood Madani, the president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Halal Trust, was given protection by the court. Madani had also petitioned the SC to overturn the ban.
After being made aware of this on Monday, a bench consisting of Justice B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta decided to also grant relief to Halal India Limited and Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra.
The notification has been referred to as “an attack on the followers of Islam religion” by Halal India Pvt Ltd, a company that describes itself as a “internationally recognised halal certification provider”.
It contended that the November 18, 2023, notification from the Office of the Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Uttar Pradesh, would affect interstate commerce and have implications for the whole of India.
It said that other religions’ or denominations’ activities have not been given the same consideration, and it suggested that this will have a major effect on religious practices and public health, ultimately compromising religious freedom.
