CENTRE LIKELY TO LIFT BAN, TWEAK CATTLE TRADE RULES

The Centre is likely to lift a ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets, following legal opinion that its role is limited in livestock trade which is a domain of state governments.

The government imposed the restriction in May, triggering outrage as the decision was viewed as a hardline Hindu move to foist a nationwide ban on slaughtering cows for beef and influence people’s choice of food. Senior officials in New Delhi said the government realised it cannot put additional curbs on cattle trade through the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules 2017.

Environment minister Harsh Vardhan dropped hints on Monday about plans to tweak animal trade rules.

“We will remove all misunderstandings as the government does not intend to directly or indirectly affect the slaughterhouses or harm farmers or even influence the food habits of the people,” he said. According to a source, officials of the Animal Welfare Board of India overstepped their brief while framing the rule and had not taken the environment ministry’s approval. “They went beyond the jurisdiction of the board,” he said.

The rules stipulated ending the role of intermediaries in livestock trade and a series of approvals for transporting cattle. The rules also said an animal could be sold only to a farmer.

Governments in West Bengal, Kerala and Meghalaya objected, saying the matter was a “state subject”. As the row raged, the Madras high court stayed the implementation of the central order in Tamil Nadu.