SC extends stay on trade of cattle for slaughter across India

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SME Times News Bureau | 12 Jul, 2017
The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended across the country the Madras High Court order putting on hold the Central government's notification banning the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter from the cattle market.

As a bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud extended the operation of the Madras High Court order, the government told the court that it would be renotifying the Rules after considering objections from the stakeholders.

"The interim order passed by the Madera bench of Madras High Court would extend to rest of the country", the bench said in its order.

Even as Additional Solicitor General P.S.Narasimha told the bench not to pass any order as Central government was amenable to the High Court jurisdiction, the bench clarified that High Court order would extend to entire country.

Narasimha informed the bench that the government would not implement for three months the Rules banning the sale of cattle at livestock markets for slaughtering.

Meat sellers have complained of the adverse impact on their trade including experts that is to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore.

The Central government had on May 25 brought a notification by which sale and purchase of cattle in the cattle market for slaughter was banned. Several states refused to implement it.

The court order on Tuesday came on a plea by All India Jamitul Quresh Action Committee, which has challenged notification banning the sale of cattle for slaughtering and regulating the transporting of livestock.

After passing the order, the court disposed of the petition by All India Jamitul Quresh Action Committee and others.

All India Jamitul Quresh Action Committee had challenged the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, banning sale of cattle for slaughtering and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017 which provides for the seizures, recovery of the cost of transportation, maintenance and treatment of seized animals.

It was contended by the organisation that both the rules banning sale of cattle for slaughtering and the other regulating the transporting of livestock were arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional.

It also argued the rule that the purchaser of cattle "shall not sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose" was contrary to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, whose Section 28 says it is not an offence to "kill any animal in a manner required by the religion of any community".