The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed dissatisfaction with the Railway Board's report regarding the serving of halal-certified food on trains, deeming it "incomplete" and lacking transparency. The commission has directed the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to submit a fresh Action Taken Report (ATR) with detailed information on the vendors and contractors involved in providing food services.

The NHRC's directive follows a complaint alleging that Indian Railways exclusively serves halal-processed meat in its non-vegetarian meals. The complainant argued that this practice discriminates against other communities and infringes upon passengers' freedom of choice.

In its initial response, the Railway Board stated that there is no official provision for selling or serving halal-certified food on Indian Railways and that it adheres to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines. Officials also cited a submission to the Chief Information Commission (CIC), confirming the absence of records pertaining to a specific policy on halal food or passenger consent for the same.

However, the NHRC found this explanation insufficient, emphasizing that passengers have a fundamental right to know the nature of the food they consume. The commission noted that for meat to be qualified as 'halal', it generally requires slaughter by a Muslim, according to specific religious interpretations. If such meat is exclusively served, the NHRC warned, it could raise concerns regarding employment discrimination against individuals of other faiths and highlighted the mandates of the 'Sikh Reht Maryada', which prohibits the consumption of halal meat.

The NHRC has requested IRCTC to provide a comprehensive list of all food contractors and vendors operating across railway stations, trains, and hotels. The report must specify against each vendor whether the meat served is halal, jhatka, or both. The commission also asked the Railway Board to take note of these observations and submit an Action Taken Report on how these concerns will be incorporated into its quality and standards framework. Additionally, the NHRC pointed out that the Ministry of Tourism issues guidelines for the classification and star ranking of hotels across the country.

The NHRC has directed IRCTC to submit the fresh ATR within four weeks. The commission emphasized the need for public disclosure regarding the method of slaughter used for non-vegetarian meals, considering IRCTC's role as a major public service provider.