Beef dealers challenge ban in Supreme Court

MUMBAI: On Monday, 36 beef dealers associations from across Maharashtra filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the state government’s beef ban. The dealers

MUMBAI: On Monday, 36 beef dealers associations from across Maharashtra filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the state government’s beef ban. The dealers want to be allowed to slaughter bulls and bullocks – but not cows – that are over 16 years of age, contending that these are too old to be used for farming or other activities.

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The petition challenges the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra Animals Preservation (Amendment) Act, which came into force in March last year and banned the slaughter, possession and consumption of beef in the state.

Beef dealers had earlier challenged the ban in the Bombay high court. The court upheld the ban on May 6 this year but allowed people to store and consume beef that was brought in from outside the state.

The Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh had earlier filed a petition challenging the high court’s order, after which the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Maharashtra government, asking for its reply.

The state government may also challenge the high court’s order itself.

Mohammad Ali Qureshi, a beef dealer from Mumbai and one of the petitioners in the case, said, “Those who eat beef are predominantly from the lower socio-economic strata of society. They are affected the most by the beef ban.”

The Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill had been pending for almost 20 years, having been passed by the Maharashtra assembly during by the BJP-Shiv Sena government in 1995 and submitted to the President for approval on January 30, 1996.