The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging the 18 November, 2023, notification banning the production, storage, distribution, and sale of halal-certified meat products in the state which had ramifications across the country.

Issuing notice returnable in two weeks, a bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta, however, refused to pass any interim order that no coercive action be taken under the notification. The bench said that the prayer for interim order would be considered later.

As, in the course of the hearing, Justice Gavai asked: “Doesn’t the High Court have jurisdiction to consider it”, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran appearing for the petitioner said: “It has pan-India effect”.

The senior advocate said that there is an immediate effect on interstate trade and industry and on the consumer, which will have a pan-India effect. He also submitted that similar demands for a ban are being raised in other states as well.

The court issued notice as the bench was told that the ban affects a community across the country and therefore has national implications.

In November last year, the Uttar Pradesh government banned the production, storage, distribution, and sale of halal-certified products in the state. It, however, exempted exports from prohibition.

It is pertinent to note that halal certification is a guarantee that the product is permissible and in accordance with Islamic law. Besides, it is unadulterated, meaning no harmful ingredients are used. In India, the halal certificate is issued by private bodies.

Lucknow police had registered an FIR on 17 November at the Hazratganj police station against some organisations, production companies, their owners and managers as well as other unidentified people involved in unnecessarily extorting money in the name of halal certification and promoting enmity in the name of religion and also funding different anti-national, separatist and terror organisations.

Petitioners said in the FIR they have been implicated despite the fact that they have no role whatsoever to play in relation to issuance of halal certification.