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In a special hearing in an appeal challenging the slaughter of animals in residential premises in South Mumbai, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed that no illegal animal sacrifice should be conducted within residential premises in South Mumbai on the occasion of Eid Bakri, unless a license is required for it. The same was issued by BMC.
The court also asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Police to take appropriate action in accordance with the law against the persons concerned.
On Wednesday evening, a judge in the Division of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Jitendra Jain heard an appeal from Harish S Jain and Apiksha P Shah, residents of Nathani Heights located in Lamington Road, Mumbai Central.
Advocates Subhash Jha and Dinesh Tiwari, who are representing the residents, sought to direct the BMC and the Mumbai Police to take action and ban the slaughter of animals in the residential community. It also sought direction for the authorities to stop the slaughter of animals in the community during the petition period.
Jha said that around 4 a.m. on June 27, the petitioners learned that a few people had brought animals onto the premises of the building to be slaughtered on the occasion of Eid al-Bakri. The petitioners then approached the local police station, where they claimed they had received verbal assurances that no massacre would take place in the community. However, since no action was taken, the residents were moved to write a petition and move the court.
“The BMC shall ensure that the illegal slaughter of animals is not permitted at Nathany Heights, unless it is acknowledged or authorized by the municipal corporation,” the court said.
“In the event that the municipal institution does not issue a license to carry out the slaughter of animals in the said place, the officers of the municipal institution with the assistance of police personnel must take appropriate measures in accordance with the law to prevent the proposed slaughter of animals on Thursday.”
The Court also directed the Police Commissioner/Officer in Charge of Nagpada Police Station to provide appropriate assistance to the Municipal Corporation Officers in case action is required.
The court has posted another hearing in the matter through July 3.
Another application was made by Hajrat Peer Malik Rehan Dargah Trust before a judicial panel led by Judge Gautam S Patel and Judge Neela K Gokhale, through Advocate Madhavi Ayyappan, for permission to slaughter animals on the occasion of Eid Bakri, which will be observed on Thursday, at Vishalgad Fort.
The court directed the authorities to consider the applications, if any, and to seek permission to slaughter expeditiously on the merits.
“We make it clear that we do not direct ourselves to grant permission nor do we grant such permission ourselves. We only direct that the application by the petitioner should be urgently considered by the relevant authorities,” the court noted.
At the same time, we deeply resent that such requests are frequently made at the last minute. Bakri Eid has been on the calendar for the better part of the year, she added.
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