The restriction on the sale of non-vegetarian food near Gujarat's Somnath temple was reinstated on Friday, just hours after a single judge of the Gujarat High Court quashed the ban. A division bench stayed the earlier judgment following an urgent appeal by the state government, bringing temporary relief to the authorities and reversing the decision in favour of hotel and restaurant owners.
The development came after Justice Nisha M Thakore allowed petitions filed by owners of eateries in Prabhas Patan, Gir Somnath district, challenging a notification issued by the district magistrate on August 10, 2026. The judge had also refused the state government's request to suspend the operation of her order.
The government subsequently approached a division bench comprising Chief Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak and Justice Nirzar Desai, which stayed the single judge's ruling. The restrictions will remain effective until further proceedings.
What does the Somnath temple non-veg ban cover?
The district magistrate's notification prohibits the preparation, storage and sale of non-vegetarian food within a 500-metre radius of the Somnath Mahadev temple.
The restrictions also extend to six designated roads connecting important religious sites in the pilgrimage area, including Bhalka Tirth, Bhidiya Circle, Shankh Circle, Safari Circle, Gita Mandir and Hamirji Circle.
Hotel and restaurant owners challenged the order, arguing that it violated their fundamental right to conduct business and earn a livelihood.
The state government, however, maintained that the right to carry on a business did not mean every commercial activity could be permitted at every location. It cited Somnath's religious and cultural significance and the movement of pilgrims through the area.
Why is the Somnath restriction significant?
Somnath is regarded as the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The surrounding Prabhas Kshetra also includes Bhalka Tirth, associated with Lord Krishna's final earthly journey, Triveni Sangam and Gita Mandir.
The division bench's intervention has restored the restrictions while the legal dispute remains pending.
Gujarat HC questioned similar restrictions in Radhanpur
The latest development comes a day after the Gujarat High Court questioned a separate four-month ban imposed by Radhanpur municipality on around 30 meat, poultry and fish shops, slaughterhouses and restaurants serving non-vegetarian food.
The municipality had cited the visit of Jain monks after 60 years and the expected arrival of devotees during Chaturmas. It withdrew the order after the court questioned its legal basis, following which the petitioners withdrew their case.