Gujarat HC Judge strikes down ban on non-veg food sale in Somnath; two-Judge Bench stays her order
A division Bench stayed the judgment of Justice Nisha Thakore following an urgent appeal moved by the Gujarat Government, and directed that the Collector's notification banning the sale of non-veg food will continue for now
In a surprising turn of events, a single Judge of the Gujarat High Court initially ruled that a ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food near the revered Somnath temple was unlawful. However, a two-member High Court Bench, consisting of Chief Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak and Justice Nirzar Desai, stayed her ruling on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The decision came after the Gujarat Government filed an urgent appeal and directed that the Collector's notification, which prohibited the sale of non-veg food within a 500-meter radius of the temple along with six specific roads, remain in effect for now. The bench will revisit the matter on December 26. Earlier, Justice Nisha Thakore had granted petitions filed by hotel and restaurant owners operating near the Somnath temple, setting aside the notification.
The Collector's order restricted the sale of non-vegetarian food in designated pilgrimage routes. The government promptly filed an appeal before the Chief Justice's bench, which stayed the single judge's order late in the day. The notification, dated August 10, 2026, prohibited the preparation, storage, and sale of non-vegetarian food within a 500-meter radius of the Somnath temple and six identified roads within the Somnath pilgrimage circuit, which holds immense spiritual significance for millions of Hindus.
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