Following in the footsteps of the East and South MCDs, North Delhi's restaurants and shops will now have to "mandatorily" display whether the meat being sold or served is halal or jhatka as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation has cleared a proposal in this regard.
The BJP is in power in all three corporations in the national capital, polls for which will be held in 2022.
North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash said the House "cleared the proposal in its meeting today".
"So, restaurants and shops in north Delhi will now have to mandatorily display whether the meat being sold or served is halal or jhatka," the mayor said.
The proposal to mention whether the meat being sold or served is halal or jhatka was recently moved by the Standing Committee of the NDMC.
'Jhatka' method is one in which an animal is slaughtered in one go, while in the 'halal' method, an animal is allowed to die after cutting a vein.
North Delhi has a number of eateries, restaurants and streetside shops selling or serving non-vegetarian food items, prominent places being Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj and Kashmere Gate.
A similar proposal was cleared by South MCD in December 2020 and in East MCD's meet in 2018, stating that shop owners have to put up boards prominently, specifying which type of meat is being served.
As per reports, both meat shop and restaurant owners have been critical of the move as, they said, it will not only impact business but also squeeze Muslim-owned businesses that typically supply 'halal' meat, which is served in the majority of establishments.
Restaurants and shops in markets in areas like Defence Colony, Amar Colony, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, and INA sell non-vegetarian items.
Officials had earlier said restaurants and meat shops will have to "display clearly and visibly" whether they are serving halal or jhatka.
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