Notice to Centre on order banning cattle trade for slaughter

Petitions had challenged the earlier May 23 notification which prohibited the sale of cattle such as cows, bulls, buffaloes, camels, heifers for the goal of slaughter, claiming that the new rules are arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional.

The opposition to the government's cattle trade rule has reached the Supreme Court, which asked the NDA government today to respond on the contentions of several petitions.

The Supreme Court will have the next hearing in the case on July 11.

A Hyderabad-based lawyer, Fahim Qureshi, who had filed the petition, had claimed that the Centre's order was discriminatory and unconstitutional, as it prevented cattle traders from earning their livelihood.

Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha told NDTV, "We are treating the stay granted by the Madras High Court as stay across the country".

Considering a batch of petitions challenging the notification that imposed restrictions on the sale of cattle, Justice P B Suresh Kumar had said the court would consider the application seeking a stay after seeing the Centre's counter.

The first central regulation for cattle business allows only farmland owners to trade at animal markets.

The regulation was meant to protect "animals from cruelty and not to regulate the existing trade in cattle for slaughter houses", the ministry said.

The petitioner had also challenged 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.

Moreover, the petitioner has also contended that slaughter of animals for the objective of food does not amount to cruelty, as per Section 11 (3) of the Act.

A complete ban on the sale or purchase or resale of animals has multiple repercussions. State of UP, which held that the state can not deprive its citizens of their right to choice of food.

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