Yesterday, the Supreme Court of India had issued a notice to the Centre to ban sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter. But have not put a stay on the Centre’s notification where the centre expressed its intention to create a regulatory regime all over the country.
The Supreme Court gave the Centre 14 days time to file its response to the plea challenging cattle slaughter ban as “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory”.
The matter will be heard on July 11, 2017.
About the Petition:
- The petition was filed by the president of the All India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee, Mr. Fahim Qureshi. Plea have been filed by The state of Kerala and several other groups to become intervenors in the matter.
- According to them, the decision will hit poor farmers.
- It will also affect supplies to the country’s Rs 1 lakh-crore meat industry.
- The petition also accused the government of pushing a beef ban on the nmae Hindutva agenda.
THE NOTIFICATION: New rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change notified new rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, for banning the sale of cows and buffaloes for the purpose of slaughter at animal markets across various states in India.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, allows only farmland owners to trade at animal markets.
The notification now covers bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves, as well as the camel trade.
The Rules go on to prohibit several cruel and harmful practices like:
- bishoping in horses and ear cutting in buffaloes,
- animal identification methods such as hot branding and cold branding,
- casting animals on hard ground without adequate bedding,
- shearing and painting of horns, and
- use of any chemicals or colors on body parts of animals.
Further, the person in charge of an animal shall ensure that the animal is not caused injury or unnecessary pain or suffering.