Animal sacrifice prevention case fixed for June 20
The Cour t of Appeal yesterday (30) fixed for argument on June 20 the Writ application seeking to prevent the annual ritual of animal sacrifice to the gods at the Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil in Munneswaram of Chilaw.
The Bench comprising Justices S. Sriskandarajah (President of CA) and Deepali Wijesundera granted time to file counter-objection by the Petitioners on or before February 7. The Petitioners are Sri Bodhiraja Foundation,
Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya, Dharmavijaya Foundation President Olcott Gunasekera, Ven. Bandirip
puwe Vineetha Thero, Animal Welfare Trust Chairman Iranganie de Silva and its trustee Visakha Tillekaratne, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Association Vice President Lorraine Marguerite Bar tholomeusz, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Secretary Sharmini Desiree Ratnayake, Sathva Mithra President Sagarika Rajakarunanayake and five others.
They cited the IGP, Puttalam DIG, Chilaw SSP, Chilaw Police OIC, Chilaw UC, its Chairman, Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil trustees M.kanagaratnam, Kalimuttu Shivapakyasuntheram and Mahandra Samy and All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC) President and the Attorney General as Respondents.
The Petitioners are seeking a Writ order restraining the Chilaw UC and its Chairman or any person authorized by them from issuing an annual or temporary licence or any other approval or authorisation whatsoever to the trustees of the said Kovil or their representatives to carry out the slaughter of animals at the Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil.