The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to streamline the mechanism for online permissions regarding the slaughter of goats for Id-ul-Azha.
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing was hearing a petition filed by Vinod Jain, a trustee of the Jiv Maitri Trust. He has challenged notices issued by the BMC granting permission to sacrifice sheep and goats outside Deonar abattoir between August 22 and 24.
The notices have been issued and published by the general manager, Deonar Slaughter House, where the BMC has granted permission to sacrifice sheep and goats in unlicensed premises, that is, outside the abattoir. The petition says it is in violation of various laws relating to animals and the environment and disregards the Supreme Court guidelines.
The petition seeks to declare the public notice issued by BMC on July 24 to be unconstitutional and to set it aside. It also asks for guidelines to be framed in respect to sacrificing animals on festivals like Id-ul-Azha.
In the last hearing, the court was informed that the BMC gave permission to advocates to slaughter goats inside courtrooms at the HC.
Senior counsel Anil Sakhare, appearing for BMC, said the corporation has improved its online sacrifice permission system, whereby the applicant has to provide details like his or her address, address proof and place of sacrifice. He also said the BMC will strictly follow the law and has formed dedicated ward-wise teams for its compliance. So far, he said, the BMC has given permissions to slaughter 1,60,000 goats and measures have been taken to ensure hygiene. He also said the BMC has started a dedicated helpline for complaints regarding illegal sacrifice, and officers would look into the complaints.
The court directed the BMC to place on record its existing mechanism and said this would not only regulate and simplify the process of granting permission, but would also put an end to last-minute litigations that courts witnesses each year before the festival.
The Bench also said, “The rule of law is applicable for each religious festival. We understand that it is not easy for the State administration to regulate religious activities in accordance with the legal framework. That is why you (the State) must have uniform policies to deal not just with permission for animal slaughter, but also with permissions for other religious activities.”
The court directed the petitioners and interveners to file their suggestions to the BMC to improve the mechanism and adjourned the matter for eight weeks.
