No non-veg on Jan 26: Odisha’s Koraput DM issues strict Republic Day directive

Koraput: Local authorities in Odisha’s Koraput district have mandated a one-day prohibition on the sale of non-vegetarian food to coincide with India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations on Monday.

The directive, issued Friday by District Magistrate Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, requires all local administrators, including Tahsildars and Block Development Officers, to enforce a ban on meat, poultry, fish, and eggs throughout the district on Jan. 26.

According to the official communication, officials are required to issue formal public notices within their respective jurisdictions "to ensure strict compliance with the order" for the national holiday.

The move in Koraput follows similar restrictive measures recently implemented in other parts of India to preserve religious and cultural sanctity.

Earlier this month, Ayodhya Food Commissioner Manik Chandra Singh announced a comprehensive ban on non-vegetarian food in hotels and restaurants within the Ayodhya Dham area. The restriction includes a 15-kilometre radius around the Ram Temple and extends to online delivery platforms.

"Non-vegetarian food has been banned from being served in hotels and restaurants in Ayodhya Dham," Singh told reporters, adding that digital platforms found violating the rule would face penalties.

Additionally, the Punjab government on Dec. 16, 2025, officially designated the walled city of Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo as "Holy Cities." The Governor-approved notification led to permanent prohibitions on the sale and consumption of meat and alcohol within the notified limits of these sites, which house three of the five Sikh Takhts.

With inputs from ANI