Telangana High Court Directs State Government to Regulate Non-Vegetarian Food Near Places of Worship

The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to frame a comprehensive policy within four weeks to regulate the sale and consumption of meat and non-vegetarian food within 100 metres of places of worship, educational institutions, and hospitals. Pending formulation of such guidelines, the bench ordered status quo to be maintained regarding a non-vegetarian restaurant near a Hanuman temple in Hyderabad’s Red Hills. The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice B Vijaysen Reddy on December 22, 2025, and was only made public this week. The court was hearing a petition filed by a 24-year-old businessman from Solapur in Maharashtra, who had challenged the actions of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and local police. The petitioner said he has leased a property in Red Hills to run a restaurant named ‘NRI Live Kitchen’, obtained a trade licence, and a food safety registration from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. He alleged that the respondents were illegally interfering with his business activity. The petitioner submitted that a worker at his property was detained by the local police based on a complaint by GHMC officials about the upcoming restaurant. They cited a high court judgment from last month that denied permission to a non-vegetarian restaurant near the same Hanuman Temple. He alleged that authorities were harassing him and interfering with renovation works at the property even before his business had started operations. He also claimed that he was being selectively targeted while another non-vegetarian restaurant in the same building continued to operate without interference. The police and GHMC argued that the petitioner’s restaurant was less than 100 meters from the 100-year-old Hanuman Temple. They contended that the sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food could hurt religious sentiments and also create law and order or traffic issues. ‘Keeping in view the religious sentiments of the devotees’ Even as the petitioner claimed that he would only run a snack and tea shop and would not sell non-vegetarian food, authorities submitted photographs of a “live kitchen counter” (kabab centre) already installed at the property. While the authorities cited similar restrictions on liquor sales within 100 metres of places of worship, they admitted there was no specific statutory rule under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act prohibiting the sale of meat or non-vegetarian food in such vicinities. “Apart from the religious sentiments, it is also necessary to maintain serenity of the temple and hygiene in the temple surroundings,” the bench observed. The court disposed of the petition, duly noting the absence of any specific provision of law or rules that prohibit the sale or consumption of meat or non-vegetarian food in the vicinity of a place of public worship. Directing the government to formulate guidelines, Justice Reddy’s judgment mandated that the new policy must strictly regulate non-vegetarian food establishments located within 100 metres of hospitals, schools, or places of worship. The judge remarked that “such policy/guidelines shall be framed keeping in view the religious sentiments of the devotees of concerned temple/place of worship, the people of particular faith, the serenity and hygiene, law and order and traffic issues”. The court also stressed the necessity of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local police station as a key requirement before any such establishment can be set up. The judge noted that the inclusion of an NOC is essential “so as to ensure that there are no law and order and traffic issues”. The principal secretary of the municipal administration and urban development department and other respondents were directed to complete the process of framing guidelines within four weeks.