JOIN USThe Kerala High Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a PIL seeking quashing of the Centre’s notification banning the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter, observing that there was no constitutional violation in the rules.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Navaniti Prasad Singh observed that the May 23 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests did not stipulate any ban on cattle slaughter. It dismissed as withdrawn a plea against the curbs, filed by Youth Congress leader T G Sunil.
It pointed out that the ban applied only to the sale of cattle for slaughter through livestock markets and there was no blanket ban on the sale or slaughter of cattle. A proper reading of the notification would have avoided the row over its content, the bench observed.
State to move court
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, said the CPM-led state government would move court to challenge the Centre’s restrictions on the sale of cattle for slaughter. A special Cabinet meeting would be held on Thursday to chalk out strategies on the issue.
In the high court, the petitioner had contended that the notification violated fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution and that it should be quashed. However, the court observed that it could not find any illegality in the rules as apprehended by the petitioner.
The Kerala High Court’s observation came a day after the Madras High Court’s Madurai bench stayed for four weeks the Centre’s contentious notification on two PILs.
The petitioners in the Madras High Court have contended that the rules should have been approved by Parliament first.
A Madurai bench, comprising justices M V Muralidharan and C V Karthikeyan had on Tuesday issued the interim order on the two pleas, which said that the rules should be quashed as they were against the Constitution, breached the principle of federalism and were contrary to the parent legislation — Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Spl Assembly session
Speaking with reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Chief Minister Vijayan said the government will, in consultation with the Opposition parties, also explore possibilities of convening a special Assembly session to discuss the ban.
“Since the new restrictions are in conflict with the federal structure of governance in the country, a meeting with all chief ministers is also proposed,” the Chief Minister said. Vijayan reiterated that the restrictions infringed upon state governments’ powers.
Kerala has led opposition to the Centre’s restrictions with Vijayan writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the notification. Later, he wrote to chief ministers of other states in an effort to mobilise united opposition to the Centre’s move. Groups cutting across political affiliations have also turned up on streets to organise beef festivals in a mark of protest against the curbs.