The High Court on Monday ordered the Andhra Pradesh government not to allow cock fight during Sankranti festival and issued a series of directions to ensure that they did not take place, particularly in West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts.
The court made it clear that the district Collectors, police superintendents, and police commissioners concerned shall be held personally responsible for lapses, if any, on their part in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960 and AP Gaming Act 1974 during Sankranti festival.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice A Shankar Narayana was disposing of two PILs seeking to direct the police to implement the provisions of Acts 1960 and 1974 and prevent the anti-social elements from organising cockfight with betting during Sankranti.
The Bench said that “ we are constrained to issue certain directions as we are satisfied that the concerned officials are either unable or unwilling to ensure effective implementation of the law, and are indifferent to the plight of these cocks and roosters which undergo unnecessary pain and suffering during these events.” The bench directed the State government to constitute Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) under the 2001 Rules prescribed in the Act 1960 in all districts not later than Jan 31, 2017.
Transfer of cases on employees’ service
The High Court on Monday granted a week’s time to the Telangana government to spell out its stand on a petition challenging an Ordinance issued by it to transfer the cases pertaining to service matters of Telangana government employees from AP Administrative Tribunal (APAT) to the High Court.
The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice A Shankar Narayana was dealing with a petition by G. Jayashree, a contact lecturer challenging the Ordinance No 5/2016 issued on September 29, 2016 transfer of pending cases of Telangana from APAT to High Court at Hyderabad .
PV Krishnaiah, counsel appearing for the petitioner told the court that the Centre has deleted Telangana from the jurisdiction of the APAT on Sept 15, 2016 following a request from the State government. When the bench sought the response of the advocate general K Ramakrishna Reddy, he sought 10 days time to place the stand of the government. The bench posted the case to next Monday.
