NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a plea seeking either a total ban on cattle slaughter or framing of a uniform policy to protect and preserve them from being slaughtered and smuggled.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana said it cannot direct states to frame laws banning slaughter of cattle as various orders have been passed by the apex court in the past on measures to be adopted to prevent illegal inter-state transportation of cattle.
The petitioner Vinit Sahai, a resident of Delhi in his plea has demanded that rampant smuggling of cattle occurs from the states where it is banned to the state where cow slaughter is permitted.
He said in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, the statutes were stringent while in neighboring Kerala, slaughter was allowed, which led to illegal inter-state smuggling.
The plea also sought a total ban on slaughtering of milch and draught cattle including calves; or in alternative, issue a writ of mandamus, directing the respondents to frame a uniform policy for banning the slaughtering and preservation of such cattle, including calves.