HC observation on ban on cow slaughter being constitutionally valid major boost to BJP govt in state:CMO


PTI | Bengaluru | Updated: 20-01-2021 21:35 IST | Created: 20-01-2021 21:35 IST
HC observation on ban on cow slaughter being constitutionally valid major boost to BJP govt in state:CMO
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The Karnataka High Courtsobservation on Wednesday that the ban on cow slaughter is''constitutionally-valid'' has come as a ''major boost'' to theBJP government in the state, a statement shared by ChiefMinister B S Yediyurappa's office said.

The development in the High Court today clearshurdles for the government to effectively implement the cowslaughter ordinance, it said.

The state government on January 5 promulgated theKarnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of CattleOrdinance that provides for punishment on killing of cattleand offers protection to those ''acting in good faith'' to savethem.

According to the statement, after hearing theAdvocate General, the Court observed that the issue relatingto ban on cow slaughter has been affirmed by the Supreme Courtin Mirzapur's case as being constitutionally valid.

It said, the court, however, observed that thegovernment must ensure that no coercive action is takenagainst farmers who transport animals for animal husbandry,agriculture, and other bona fide purposes until rules areframed under the provisions of the Ordinance.

''The development in the High Court today clearshurdles for the Government to effectively implement the cowslaughter ordinance,'' it added.

Under the ordinance, slaughter of cattle will leadto imprisonment of up to three to seven years and a fineranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs five lakh, and subsequentoffences will attract imprisonment of up to seven years and afine from Rs one lakh to Rs ten lakh.

Hearing a batch of petitions filed by Mohammed ArifJameel and others, the statement said, the High Court Bench ofChief Justice Abhay Oka and Sachin Shankar Magadum onWednesday observed that the provision in the ordinancerelating to ban of cow slaughter is constitutionally valid.

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi appeared for thestate before the High Court.

It said, the state government contended before thecourt that the Ordinance was in consonance with the DirectivePrinciples of State Policy in the Constitution.

''The state further contended by filing preliminarystatement of objections that the cattle population over thepast eight years has substantially reduced from 95,16,484 in2012 census (19th livestock census) to 84,69,004 in 2019 (20thlivestock census), and that as per the 2019 census 2,38,296cattle are being slaughtered every year and on an average itworks out to 652 per day.'' Under Information Network for Animal Productivity andHealth (INAPH) Scheme of the Central government, ear taggingof cattle is undertaken using Radio Frequency IdentificationDevice (RFID) conforming to Bureau of India Standards, and outof total cattle population of 1,15,53,564, about 96,00,000cattle are ear tagged and the work is in progress, thestatement pointed out.

The state also submitted that there are 4,212veterinary institutions in the state headed by veterinaryofficers and inspectors who are available on call and thatthere are 176 mobile clinics, it added.PTI KSU RS BNWELCOME BNWELCOME

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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