The Meghalaya High Court today disposed of a writ petition on the issue of cruelty to animals during transportation and keeping of cattle and other animals and the method of slaughter.
A single bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji said that there is no need to pass any further orders in the current writ petition since a May 26 order ensured that the buyer of cattle shall strictly comply with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Rules.
The Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji said, “…the authorities take punitive action against them in case of violation.”
According to the court, the cause of action and reliefs claimed in the writ petition are similar to those in the Public Interest Litigation of the Gau Gyan Foundation, which was disposed of by a division bench of the high court in its order on May 26, 2023.
The court said it is satisfied with the steps taken by the respondents under the Act with regards to transportation and keeping of cattle and other animals, the method of slaughter, dealing with the skin fur and carcass, after slaughter exposure to public view and treatment of the meat put up for sale in meat shops after slaughter and so on.
The court said the writ petition challenges two orders of the respondents dated December 21, 2018 and February 8, 2019 which pertains to identification and creation of Gaushalas for keeping cattle and livestock seized in or near the international border in Meghalaya on the ground of illegal importation.
According to the court, the petitioners are aggrieved by the provision in these orders directing the authorities to obtain an order from the competent court for sale of the seized cattle.
The counsel for the petitioners submitted that if the cattle is sold, the authorities would have no control over the type or antecedents of the buyer or over his complying with the said Act and Rules.
“I feel that such apprehension is unfounded. The authorities may exert the same power under the said Act and Rules over the buyer as they do in respect of the original owner,” Mukerji said.
