New Delhi, March 12: The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the central government on a petition seeking a ban on animal sacrifice in temples across the country.
According to the petition, animals are sacrificed in several temples as part of religious rituals, and the practice is alleged to cause cruelty to animals. The petitioner has urged the court to direct the government to frame appropriate rules or take steps to prohibit such sacrifices.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought a response from the Central government and listed it after a month.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Shruti Bisht alleges official inaction against the killing of animals in temples.
The petition essentially seeks a direction for amending Section 28 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and a ban on killings of animals in the name of religion. Section 28 of the 1960 Act states that killing of an animal in a manner required by a religion is not an offence.
The petition argues that the killing of animals in the name of religious practice violates animal protection laws and raises concerns about cruelty. It requests the court to ensure stricter enforcement of existing regulations and to consider prohibiting the practice altogether.
The Supreme Court has listed the matter for further hearing after receiving the government’s response.
The case has once again brought attention to the on-going debate in India between religious traditions and animal welfare laws, with activists calling for stricter protection for animals while some religious groups defend the practice as part of long-standing rituals.
