By Rishi Patodia-
On 30.07.2020, Madras High Court had issued a slew of guidelines to ensure the strict adherence of applicability of laws prevailing animal slaughter.
The court said the following statements post the application stood up in concern of applicability of animal slaughter laws and related laws during the upcoming Bakri Eid festival.
Responding to the apprehensions raised, the court has directed the State to ensure that the Slaughterhouse Rules, 2001, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, and a Central Government Notification on the issue be strictly followed during Bakri Eid.
Following are the important guidelines issued:
- The Rules, as well as the Government Notification, are to be implemented strictly. The Notification makes provision for the establishment of slaughterhouses, and prohibits the slaughter of even “permitted” categories of animals in other places. Prohibited categories such as camels and cows cannot be slaughtered anywhere.
- Animals can be slaughtered only in “duly recognized, approved and licensed” slaughterhouses.
- The Tamil Nadu state government is directed to notify rules for the observance of Eid-Al-Adha, or Bakri Eid, just as states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka have done.
The court also laid down that,
“… particularly in Covid-19 period… it is all the more necessary to implement these rules, guidelines in a more stringent manner and public gatherings or slaughtering at public places is avoided at all costs”
The court also highlighted the fact that these laws were not only applicable fpr Bakri Eid but for other festivals too.