SC seeks Centre, Kerala replies on plea against ban on animal sacrifice

NEW DELHI: Hearing a plea challenging the validity of a Kerala law that prohibits animal sacrifice for appeasement of deity in temples, the Supreme Court on Thursday said that there was a contradiction in our laws which allow killing of animals for consumption but prohibit such killing when it comes to offering the meat as sacrifice.

Heading the three-judge bench, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said,“There is a dichotomy in law. Killing animals and consuming is allowed. But killing animals, offering to deity and then consuming is not permissible.” The law which is under challenge in the present case, the Kerala Animals and Bird Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1968 (Act), prohibits killing of animals for appeasement of deity in temples and temple precincts even though such meat is later consumed by humans.

The court issued notice to the Kerala government, Centre and Animal Welfare Board in the plea. The case is now likely to be heard on August 10 along with similar cases from Himachal Pradesh and Tripura.

The Kerala Animals and Bird Sacrifices Prohibition Act was challenged on the ground that it violates right to equality guaranteed by Article 14 and the right to practice religion and manage religious affairs under articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.

The petitioners, followers of Shakthi worshipping tradition, claimed that appeasing deity through animal sacrifice is an essential religious practice. They said identical practices by other religious communities are not prohibited by the Act.

THE CASE IS NOW LIKELY TO BE HEARD ON AUGUST 10 ALONG WITH SIMILAR CASES FROM HIMACHAL PRADESH AND TRIPURA