SC junks PIL seeking ban on animal slaughter

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday junked a PIL seeking ban on animal slaughter for meat exports alleging violation of rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna dismissed the petition saying it was not inclined to entertain the plea.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by an organisation Healthy, Wealthy, Ethical, World- Guide India Trust and others which had sought a direction to the Centre, state governments and private sectors to immediately stop the export of meat and meat products. The plea said the Centre, state governments or their agencies should immediately stop the production and sale of raw leather and other related products for exports or domestic trade.

Referring to Article 51A, it said the Constitution casts a duty on its citizens to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.

The plea had also relied upon the rules made under the Act which provides that animals can be slaughtered only to the extent of catering the need of local population.

"Central government, state governments, Union Territories and their agencies cannot and should not run, promote, encourage, finance, help, assist or involve itself in the meat trade in any form or manner, be it directly or indirectly running and operating slaughterhouses, or any activity involving the raising and killing of any living creature for their flesh as food," the petition said.