The Gujarat high court on Friday stayed a single judge’s order quashing restrictions on the sale of non-vegetarian food along designated pilgrimage routes near the Somnath temple, reversing the relief granted to hotel and restaurant owners within hours.
The judge had also rejected the state government’s request to stay the operation of the judgment, prompting it to move the division bench. The hotel and restaurant owners challenged the notification, arguing that the restrictions infringed their fundamental right to carry on a lawful business and earn a livelihood. It withdrew the order after the court questioned its legal basis, following which the petitioners withdrew their case. The court allowed the restaurants to continue their businesses and rejected the state govt’s request for a brief stay on the order.
Justice Nisha M Thakore had earlier on Friday allowed petitions filed by owners of hotels and restaurants serving non-vegetarian food in Prabhas Patan in Gir Somnath district and set aside a notification issued by the district magistrate on August 10, 2026. The notification issued by the Gir Somnath district magistrate prohibits the preparation, storage and sale of non-vegetarian food within a 500-metre radius of the Somnath Mahadev temple and along six designated roads connecting religious sites in the pilgrimage area. In a separate matter a day earlier on October 29, the Gujarat High Court questioned a four-month closure order issued by the Radhanpur municipality against around 30 meat, poultry and fish shops, slaughterhouses and restaurants serving non-vegetarian food during Chaturmas. The municipality had cited the visit of Jain monks to the town after 60 years and the expected arrival of devotees. Earlier reporting noted: Ban on sale of non-veg food in Somnath temple vicinity to remain Ahmedabad: On Friday evening, a division bench of Gujarat High Court temporarily restored the state govt’s Aug 12 notification banning the sale of non-vegetarian food near the Somnath temple and on routes leading to it, hours after a single judge quashed the order.
Earlier reporting noted: This led the state govt to rush to the high court to uphold its ban on restaurants selling non-vegetarian food in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, the town that houses the famous Somnath temple. Govt pleader G H Virk sought an immediate hearing before the acting chief justice, and the matter was taken up after court hours. Earlier reporting noted: Justice Nisha Thakore had on Friday afternoon set aside the notification while hearing a petition filed by seven hoteliers challenging the ban and the authorities’ direction requiring them to serve only vegetarian food.
