Lucknow: The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide an explanation for the ban on the sale, manufacture, distribution, and storage of halal-certified products in the state. The notice from the apex court follows a set of petitions by Halal India Private Limited and Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra challenging the state government's order. The petitioners argue that the ban has immediate implications on trade, commerce, consumers, and religious sentiments, affecting not only Uttar Pradesh but also having Pan-India implications. They contend that such bans also expose Halal certifying agencies to criminal liability, and similar demands are emerging in other states like Bihar and Karnataka.

Appearing for one of the petitioners, senior advocate Siddarth Agarwal emphasized that the courts need to examine whether such a notification can be issued and whether entities accredited by the commerce ministry for such certification can be prosecuted solely on the grounds of issuing halal certificates. Agarwal highlighted the disparate treatment, noting that similar positions have not been taken for practices of other religions or denominations like kosher or satvik. The petitioners argue that the ban not only impacts public health and religious practices but also questions the legitimacy of certification bodies recognized by the commerce ministry.

In November of the previous year, the Uttar Pradesh government prohibited the sale and distribution of Halal certified products following a complaint by the state's BJP youth wing. The complaint alleged that some agencies were issuing Halal certificates to boost sales among the Muslim community. Subsequently, state police carried out crackdowns on various establishments and seized Halal certified meat and other products. Halal certifications indicate that a product is permissible for consumption by those who follow Islam and is issued by agencies accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies.

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