"You (BMC) cannot treat horse stables as five star, four star and so on. If you have issued license to one stable in the city, then consider other applications also as per law," a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar said.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an NGO, Animals and Birds Charitable Trust, which alleged that animal protection rules were flouted in the city and sought a ban on horse-carriage and joyrides in Mumbai.
The court was informed that the corporation which claims that it has a policy of not granting license to run horse stables within city limits due to hygienic factors has, however, allowed Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to have one in central Mumbai.
The bench then asked BMC to consider applications of other stable owners as well.
"You may set the highest standards of hygiene while considering their applications," the chief justice said.
The court has also asked the traffic police to renew licenses of horse carriage owners after taking into consideration provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
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"The authority which issues licenses for horse carriages, horses and their riders have to ensure that licenses are given only for those horses which are kept in stables and fit to ride," the court ordered.
It has further said if the civic body or the traffic police seize any horse found in an unfit condition, the same be handed over to the Bombay Society of Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals (BSPCA) for treatment.