SG Tushar Mehta raises issue of halal-certification of non-meat products in Supreme Court

Solicitor General questions halal certification for non-meat products, raising concerns over cost for non-believers in Supreme Court.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta on Monday (January 20, 2025) raised in the Supreme Court the issue of halal certification of non-meat products such as iron bars and cement, asking why should non-believers be made to pay higher cost for halal-certified products.

The law officer made the submissions before the apex court which was hearing the pleas challenging a notification prohibiting the manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution of food products with halal certification within UP, except for items produced for export.

Also read: What is behind the Halal certificate ban in U.P.? | Explained

"So far as halal meat is concerned, nobody can have any objection. But your lordships would be shocked, as I was shocked, that even cement and iron bars used are to be halal certified," Mehta submitted before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.

He said the halal-certifying agencies were charging and the total amount collected in the process might be a few lakh crore.

"Even 'atta' (wheat flour) and 'besan' (gram flour) has to be halal-certified. How can 'besan' be halal or non-halal?" asked Mehta.

The counsel appearing for the petitioners said the Centre's policy says it was a matter of lifestyle.