Lawyers miffed with SC canteen call for Navratri

Although the letter was unsigned, it emphasised that the court canteen has traditionally catered to diverse dietary preferences.

New Delhi A group of lawyers on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the Supreme Court canteen’s decision to stop serving non-vegetarian food during Navaratri, a practice they claimed was being imposed for the first time. In a letter addressed to the presidents of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Kapil Sibal, and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), Vipin Nair, the lawyers voiced their concerns, stating that such a decision was inconsistent with the “pluralistic” traditions of the bar.

Although the letter was unsigned, it emphasised that the court canteen has traditionally catered to diverse dietary preferences and that the suspension of non-vegetarian food to cater to the religious sentiments of a few was inappropriate. (HT PHOTO)

Although the letter was unsigned, it emphasised that the court canteen has traditionally catered to diverse dietary preferences and that the suspension of non-vegetarian food to cater to the religious sentiments of a few was inappropriate. It also warned that accommodating such requests could lead to further impositions in the future.

In response, an SCBA official confirmed that the canteen contractor had not received any official directive to stop serving non-vegetarian food. The contractor had made this decision independently, following requests from some lawyers. However, the SCBA intervened later in the day, instructing the contractor to resume serving non-vegetarian food from the next day.

To be sure, the Supreme Court will have only one working day — Friday, October 4 — before it breaks for Dussehra. The court will reopen on October 14, after the Navaratri period concludes. Furthermore, the canteen in question is meant to cater to the lawyers in the top court and is privately managed by the contractor.

The letter further highlighted that in previous years, lawyers observing Navaratri would bring their own special food without causing any disruptions. It described the canteen’s announcement to exclusively serve Navaratri food this year as a departure from this practice, cautioning against the precedent it might set.

Opinions within the legal fraternity were divided. Some senior advocates, including Sanjay Hegde, supported the lawyers’ objection. Meanwhile, others noted that similar decisions had been made by canteen contractors in the past without controversy.

An SCBA official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that the canteen’s menu decisions are usually made by contractors, with no direct involvement from the SCBA or SCAORA. The current contract for the Supreme Court canteen, awarded in June 2024, placed menu control in the hands of the contractor, subject to recommendations from the SCBA.