Law Ministry vetting prevention of cruelty to animals rules, SC told

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) The Union government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that draft rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, for regulating upkeep of the animals, putting of load on them, their transpiration and other aspects are presently with the Union Law Ministry for vetting.

The bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud was told this as they sought to the progress in drafting and finalisation of the rules under the 1960 act.

The top court by its July 12, 2016 order had given the Environment & Forests Ministry three months time to finalise the Rules as it was then informed by it that the draft Rules have already been prepared, and are under process of finalisation.

The court had asked the ministry to frames the Rules while hearing a PIL by animal rights activists Gauri Maulekh who had sought curbs on the large number of cattle being illegally sent to Nepal for Gadhimai festival. The festival, which takes place once in five years, was last held in November 2014.

The court on Tuesday sought the status of the rules in the course of the hearing of a petition by the Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh seeking curbs on the smuggling of unproductive cows to Bangladesh for beef processing units.

Seeking the latest position, the court told the government counsel Binu Tamta: "You have already done for Nepal, do it for Bangladesh."

"If (Rules are) finalised, we will give you a date to place them before us. If not we will give you some more time to do so."

The court also told the counsel for the Sangh that transportation of cattle from India to Nepal has already stopped and the paramilitary forces along with district administration will be involved in checking the illegal transpiration of cattle.

The top court was informed on Monday (April 25) that every cow and its progeny will be given a Unique Identification Number (UIN) and that would record their details like age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks.

It was also told that rescued or abandoned cows would be kept at shelter homes that would be set-up by the state governments in every district.

The matter will be heard next on July 12.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)