The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea seeking modification of its July 11 order by which the stay order of Madras High Court on Centre's notification banning sale and purchase of cattle from markets for slaughter was extended across the country.
The fresh plea, mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, said the Madurai Bench of the High Court had only stayed the operation of one of the two notifications, that is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Regulation of Livestock Market) Rules, 2017, which is also referred to as Livestock Market Rules.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, said the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, also referred to as the Case Property Rules, was not challenged before the
High Court.
The Case Property Rules deal with the issue of care and treatment of those animals which are seized by law enforcement agencies for offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The Livestock Market Rules pertain to the sale and purchase of animals at the notified livestock markets.
Another senior advocate V Giri said the Livestock Market Rules and Case Property rules are different and dealt with separate issues and hence, the fresh plea needed to be heard.
The bench, also comprising Justice D Y Chandrachud, then agreed to the plea on July 21. The petition has submitted that the July 11 order was passed on the basis of "an incorrect assumption and belief" that both the rules were challenged before the High Court.