INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - FEBRUARY 16th - FEBRUARY 29th - 2008
SC UPHOLDS GUJARAT ORDER BANNING SLAUGHTER OF BULLS
The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of a Gujarat government notification prohibiting indiscriminate slaughtering of the bulls and bullocks in the state. A bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice P Sathasivam upheld the validity of government notification of December, 1989, issued under the provisions of the Gujarat Essential Commodities and Cattle (Control) Act, 1958.
The court rejected the plea of appellant meat sellers that the notification was beyond its power and affected their fundamental rights of carrying on the business of slaughter and selling of meat of bulls and bullocks and other animals apart from affecting their right to life.
The state government, on the other hand, had submitted that the matter had been conclusively decided by several judgements of the apex court.
Justice Pasayat, writing the verdict, perused the relevant judgements on the matter while upholding the decision of the Gujarat High Court. The high court had dismissed the writ petition on the ground that reasonable restriction was imposed for drastically reducing the trade of slaughter of bulls and bullocks. It was challenged in the apex court by Abdulsattar Yusufbhai Qureshi and others.
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