Chandigarh: All shops, restaurants to shut down at 7pm today amid India-Pakistan conflict

Amidst tensions escalating at international borders between India and Pakistan since the past two days, the Chandigarh district administration on Friday has directed all the shop establishments including restaurants to be closed by 7 PM on Friday.

However, the district administration gave respite to medical shops as these orders won't be applicable to them.

Releasing an order, the Chandigarh administration took to X and wrote, “All shop establishments including restaurants in Chandigarh are required to be closed by 7:00 PM today, May 9, 2025. However these orders will not be applicable for medical shops.”

Order against hoarding and stockpiling of essential commodities:

The District Magistrate of UT Chandigarh on Friday also imposed a ban on hoarding and stockpiling of essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita Act, 2023.

The order has been passed to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential goods in the Union Territory and came into effect from zero hours on 9 May.

Under this order, all individuals, traders, wholesalers, retailers, and business entities have been barred from engaging in the hoarding of key items including rice, wheat, pulses, sugar, edible oils, vegetables, milk products, medicines, petrol, and diesel.

"In order to safeguard public interest and maintain smooth availability of essential goods, I, Nishant Kumar Yadav, I.A.S., District Magistrate, U.T., Chandigarh, exercising the powers conferred upon me... hereby order the following," the official notification states.

The order also mandates that all traders and stockists must declare their current stock to the Department of Food & Supplies within three days of the order. In case someone fails to do so, they may attract legal action under the applicable provisions of the law.

"No person, traders, wholesalers, retailers or business entities shall engage in the hoarding or stockpiling of essential commodities, food items including but not limited to rice, wheat, pulses, sugar, edible oils, vegetables, milk products, medicines, fuel including petrol and diesel," mentioned the order.

"All traders and stockists shall declare their current stock to the Department of Food and Supplies, Chandigarh Administration, within three days of this order, read the order.

The administration has also invited citizens to report any instances of hoarding, black marketing, or price manipulation.

With agency inputs.