Ensure rules are followed this Bakri Eid, says HC

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure rules are followed diligently during the sacrificial slaughtering on the occasion of Bakri Eid on August 22.

The directions were issued after the BMC submitted that it had put in place a system to ensure that conditions prescribed by it for the sacrificial ritual by the Muslim community would be done in a proper manner. It also informed the court that a redressal mechanism was put in place to address ward-wise feedback of violations and also invited suggestions from citizens to help the civic body improve it.

Allaying the apprehensions

raised by the petitioners with regards to the slaughtering of goats and sheep outside the Deonar abattoir, senior counsel for the BMC, Anil Sakhare, informed the court that the online permission system had been beefed up. He said misuse of the system would be avoided.

Sakhare further said the effort to improve the system was an ongoing process and civic officials along with non-governmental organisations (NGO) would ensure that the process went off smoothly. Sakhare also said that the civic body was open to suggestions to help improve the existing system. Dr Sujay Kantawala, counsel for the petitioner Jiv Maitri Trust, welcomed the submissions of the BMC and said he was willing to extend all help to the BMC to ensure that rule of law during festivals was observed by respective communities.

After hearing all sides, the bench of acting chief justice Naresh Patil said all festivals should be celebrated in a peaceful manner and all procedures as per rule of law should be followed.