The Supreme Court, on 15 June, sought a response from the Centre on the pleas challenging its controversial notification banning the sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter.
A vacation bench, comprising Justices RK Agrawal and SK Kaul, issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file a response within two weeks on two separate petitions challenging the notification. The apex court fixed the matter for hearing on 11 July.
"The NDA government does not intend to bring in any law that would in any manner interfere with the eating habits of any community,"The Times of India quoted law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as saying at a press conference on 15 June.
According to the daily, there were indications that the government would tweak the rules in the wake of the Supreme Court notice. The TOI quoted sources as saying that a consensus was emerging over the need to amend the law and mark areas in livestock market for animals meant for slaughter.
Also Read: Decoded: Cattle Market Rules, ‘Beef Ban’
In response to the SC, the Centre said that it has no intention to negate anyone’s right to choice of food.
Additionally, Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “The SC echoes our thoughts, we will answer all questions in the coming days”.
Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that intention behind the notification was to have a regulatory regime on cattle trade across the country.
He also told the apex court that the Madras High Court had recently granted an interim stay on the notification.
One of the petitioners, who approached the apex court challenging the notification, claimed in his plea that the provisions in the notification were unconstitutional as they violated the fundamental rights including freedom of conscience and religion and right to livelihood.
The Centre had on 26 May banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter through an Environment Ministry notification – 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017' – under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
(With inputs from news agencies.)
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