Somnath Temple non-veg food ban: Why Supreme Court refused to lift restrictions and what the judges said

The Supreme Court has declined to lift the ban on non-vegetarian food preparation, sale, and storage near the Somnath Temple in Gujarat. The court maintained that a balance needed to be preserved and declined to interfere with the interim order of the Gujarat High Court that kept the restrictions in place. The dispute began with a notification issued by the Gir Somnath District Magistrate on August 10, 2026, prohibiting the preparation, sale, and storage of non-vegetarian food, including meat, fish, and eggs, in specified areas around the temple.

Six restaurant owners challenged this notification in the Gujarat High Court, arguing that it affected their right to carry on a lawful business and threatened their livelihoods. The court observed that they need to maintain a balance, but did not deliver a final ruling on the legal validity of the ban. The matter is now set to be decided by the Gujarat High Court, with a deadline of November 25, 2026, before the restrictions will remain in force.

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