COURTS State gets 6 weeks to fix dates on which meat can’t be sold

Giving one last chance, the Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra government to decide in six weeks time the days on which there would be a ban on slaughter of animals and sale of meat in the city owing to certain festivals.

A division bench headed by Justice Anoop Mohta gave the direction to the state government earlier this week.

It also pulled up the government for failing to formulate a policy on the issue, saying lack of such a policy would lead to chaos in the society. “The lack of a government policy will lead to chaos and confusion among common people at the last minute,” Justice Mohta said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Bombay Mutton Dealers Association in 2015, challenging a circular issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government imposing a ban on slaughter of animal and sale of mutton and chicken in the city on four days in September that year during the Jain festival ‘Paryushan’.

The high court had on September 14, 2015 stayed the ban on sale of meat, but refused to interfere with the ban on slaughter of animals during those four days.

The bench had then directed the state government to come up with guidelines and also dates after discussing with all the parties involved when such a ban would be imposed.