Ahmedabad’s municipal food department has made FSSAI registration mandatory for every food stall operating at Navratri events in 2026, warning that stalls without registration may be sealed during inspections. The requirement will apply to commercial garba venues, party plots and large housing-society celebrations across the city.
According to the food department’s warning, Ahmedabad is expected to host more than 80 small and large commercial Navratri events this year, apart from substantial raas-garba programmes organised by housing societies. Food stalls serving visitors at these venues will have to obtain registration under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India framework before operations begin.
The requirement applies separately to each stall. If the same vendor operates multiple stalls at different venues, separate registration will be required for every location. The department has said that stall operators can complete the registration through a simple online process.
The civic authority has also placed responsibility on event organisers and venue committees. Organisers have been urged not to allot space to any food stall that does not have FSSAI registration. The department has further warned that action will not be limited to vendors or caterers if inedible or unsafe food is found being sold. Organisers and committees could also be held responsible and face action, according to the report.
The registration condition creates an additional compliance requirement for temporary food businesses, which often operate for only a short period during large public gatherings. For the municipal administration, the rule provides a way to identify vendors operating at dispersed venues and establish responsibility for food safety before and during the festival season.
The food department has said inspections will be carried out during Navratri. Stalls found operating without the required registration could face action extending to sealing. The warning comes as the city’s event network includes both professionally managed commercial programmes and community-led celebrations within housing societies, making coordination between organisers, vendors and civic inspectors important for enforcement.
The department’s notice does not indicate a separate exemption for temporary or society-level stalls. Its stated position is that all food stalls at Navratri events must secure registration, while organisers have been asked to verify compliance before allocating spaces. Further enforcement details, including the inspection schedule and the number of registrations completed before the festival, have not been provided in the supplied report.
