The Hindu : New Delhi News : Supreme Court takes umbrage at buffalo traders' plea

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Thursday, Sep 07, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Supreme Court takes umbrage at buffalo traders' plea

Legal Correspondent

Separate slaughter through `halal', `jhatka' methods sought in Delhi abattoir

NEW DELHI: The Buffalo Traders' Welfare Association here made a peculiar plea in the Supreme Court on Tuesday for a direction seeking slaughtering of animals separately through "halal" and "jhatka" methods in the Ghazipur slaughter house now under construction in East Delhi.

Annoyed at such a plea, a three-Judge Bench comprising Justice S.B. Sinha, Justice G.P. Mathur and Justice A.K. Mathur told counsel that it would not entertain such an application which also sought a direction to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to provide separate entry and exit for animals and persons, involved in different methods of slaughtering in the modernised slaughterhouse.

The Bench observed that it would not entertain such an application after 60 years of independence. The Judges asked the counsel, "What difference does it make whether you slaughter an animal by this method or by that method?" and did not pass any order.

The application sought a separate entry and exit for slaughtering of animals, on the ground that followers of Islam were opposed to "jhatka method" of killing animals as only "halal method" was permitted under Islam. It said that on inspection of the site, it was observed that both the methods of slaughtering were kept together contrary to the practice of keeping them separate.

It said: "Also, there is only one entry point and one exit point for animals being taken in for the purpose of slaughter by both halal and jhatka methods as well as for taking away the meat. This is bound to create problems."

40,000 in trade

The Association said it had been catering to the meat-eating population of Delhi for about 100 years and more than 40,000 persons were connected with the trade either directly or indirectly. The application was filed so that any inconvenience could be avoided in future.

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