Why in the News?
The Supreme Court of India on July 16, 2020 agreed to examine the constitutional validity of the Kerala Animals and Bird Sacrifices Prohibition Act of 1968.
The act prohibits sacrifice of animals and birds in temples to ‘please’ the deity.
Why Appeal?
1. Appeal has been filed by P.E. Gopalakrishnan and some others, who are Shakthi worshippers, and for whom, animal sacrifice is an integral part of the worship.
2. The also argue that Animal sacrifice was an “essential religious practice” and the High Court had no power to interfere.
3. It argued that Section 28 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1960 does not make killing of animals for religious purposes an offence.
4. The 1968 State law bans killing of animals and birds for religious sacrifices but not for personal consumption. This amounted to arbitrary classification. The appellants said if killing of animals and birds was to be prohibited, let it be so for all purposes — religious or otherwise.
Subjects before Supreme Court
The SC Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, highlighted the “dichotomy” in animal protection law that allows killing of animals for food but does not permit “killing of animals for offer to a deity and then consumption”.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 allows killing of animals but prohibits cruelty to animals.
(Source: The Hindu)
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