High court stays Haryana govt notification on declaring Mansa Devi Complex ‘holy area’

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has stayed the December 21, 2022, notification of the Haryana government declaring the Mansa Devi Complex (MDC) of Panchkula a “holy area” and banning the sale of liquor and meat products in the vicinity.

The HC acted on the plea from Anahita Handa and 11 others, who are operating restaurants and other business establishments in the MDC area. The plea said the notification does not refer to any statutory provision in exercise whereof such a declaration has been issued. “In the absence of invocation of any such substantive power, enforcement of restraint against the petitioners from carrying on their business/occupation, is violative of the rights granted to them,” they had argued. The petitioners were duly issued their licences by the competent-authority to deal in the sale and purchase of meat and meat products in the area and that they undertake to carry out business as per law, it was argued.

The HC while seeking response by August 23 has ordered that operation of the December 21 notification would remain stayed till the next date of hearing.