The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to clarify to the Andhra Pradesh administration that it has not completely stayed the State High Court ban on rooster fights but only modified the blanket power bestowed on inspection teams to barge into “any premises” and seize roosters primed for fights.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar said the January 6 order of the court was clear in itself. There was no obligation on the part of the court to further spell out its orders for officials’ sake.
The Animal Welfare Board of India, represented by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, had made an urgent mention that officials in the State were under the impression that the apex court had lifted the ban on rooster fights. It alleged that preparations for the fights were on in full swing in the run-up to Pongal/Sankranthi celebrations. The Board sought a direction to the State officialdom to crack down on the violators.
On January 6, a Bench of Chief Justice Khehar and Justices N.V. Ramana and D.Y. Chandrachud had, on a writ petition filed by industrialist Kanumuru Raghu Ramakrishna Rao against the December 26, 2016 order of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, stayed the authority of police inspection teams to enter any premises and seize roosters.
The SC had further issued notice to the State government, the AWBI and the Director General of Police of Andhra Pradesh, among others, on Mr. Rao’s petition. The Supreme Court had directed them to file their counter-affidavits in four weeks. The petition, filed through advocate Sateesh Galla, contended that the roosters were bred indigenously by farmers as a means of livelihood.
