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This is an archive article published on June 29, 2023
Delhi HC refuses urgent order on plea over advisory against ‘illegal’ animal slaughter on Eid
The advisory stated that "It has been brought to the knowledge of the Development Department that a large number of animals are likely to be customarily sacrificed during Bakra-eid festival...”
The advisory asks all authorities "to take suitable precautionary measures for enforcing laws relating to welfare of animals to stop illegal killing of animals and to take stringent action against the offenders”.
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Delhi HC refuses urgent order on plea over advisory against ‘illegal’ animal slaughter on Eid
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The Delhi High Court Wednesday refused to urgently pass orders in an application seeking strict implementation and enforcement of an advisory issued by the Delhi government to “stop illegal killing of animals” during Eid-al Adha on June 29.
A division bench of Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Manoj Jain listed the application moved in a pending plea on July 3. “…This matter should be placed before the appropriate bench as per roster instead of being taken up in the last week of vacation. Accordingly list on July 3 before the appropriate bench as per roster…,” the bench directed.
The petitioner Ajay Gautam submitted that a direction be issued that Delhi government will “follow their own advisory” adding that the matter was urgent since Eid-al Adha was on Thursday. The court orally said this was not a fresh writ but an application moved in a pending matter before HC, observing that it was courts discretion to decide whether a matter is urgent or not.
The application sought a direction to the respondents, including the Delhi government, to strictly implement and enforce a June 14 advisory issued by the secretary-cum-commissioner (development) of the Delhi government.
The advisory stated that “It has been brought to the knowledge of the Development Department that a large number of animals are likely to be customarily sacrificed during Bakra-eid festival in Delhi, to be celebrated on 29th June, 2023. It has been reported that during transportation of animals, the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals) Rules, 1978 are not often complied with by the owners/care takers and the animals, and as a result thereof the animals suffer cruelty during transportation”.
The advisory further stated that it is feared that many “illegal Animal Markets and illegal slaughtering” may come up in different parts of Delhi, on the eve of Bakra-eid/Eid-al Adha.
The advisory referred to Rule 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, which states that no person shall slaughter any animal within a municipal area except in a slaughterhouse recognised or licensed by the authority concerned.
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It also referred to a rule of Food Safety and Standards (Food products standards and food additives) Regulations, 2011, which states that camels cannot be slaughtered for food purposes. It also said the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, 1994, strictly prohibits slaughtering of cows in Delhi.
The advisory thereafter asked all the all concerned authorities “to take suitable precautionary measures for enforcing laws relating to welfare of animals to stop illegal killing of animals during Bakra-eid festival and to take stringent action against the offenders”.
The application additionally sought direction to the respondents to take strict action against Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s Deputy Mayor, Aale Mohd. Iqbal, who allegedly came on “social media and made provoking and threatening statement to ignore said advisory” on June 24.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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