Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In a swift U-turn amid widespread public criticism, the Koraput district administration on Sunday withdrew its earlier circular that had imposed a ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food items on Republic Day.
In an official directive, the administration stated that the earlier order—Collectorate Letter No. 93 dated January 23, 2026—prohibiting the sale of meat, chicken, fish, eggs and other non-vegetarian items during the 77th Republic Day celebrations was issued based on suggestions from the District-Level Republic Day Preparatory Committee. “After due consideration, the aforesaid letter is hereby revoked with immediate effect,” the order read.
The initial directive, issued by Collector Manoj Satyaban Mahajan on Saturday, had instructed tehsildars, block development officers and executive officers to strictly enforce a one-day ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food items across Koraput district on January 26.
The administration had also appealed to residents to opt for vegetarian food “as a mark of respect” for the national celebration, though it did not provide any formal justification for imposing the restriction.
The order triggered strong reactions on social media, with several users terming it unconstitutional and an instance of administrative overreach. Responding to the criticism, Mahajan later told the media that the decision was taken following demands raised by a large number of people during the Republic Day preparedness meeting. “The administration acted in line with public sentiment,” he had said.
