SC says it can't pass an order forcing everyone to become a Vegetarian

The Supreme Court on Friday opined that it "can't pass an order that everyone should become vegetarian" while adjourning a Public Interest Litigation seeking direction to ban the export of meat for consumption and manufacturing leather.

The court did not pass any order on the plea and adjourned the matter for hearing in February 2019.

The bench comprising of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was hearing the litigation filed by two organisations seeking to declare meat export unconstitutional.

The plea filed by an organisation - 'Healthy, Wealthy, Ethical, World- Guide India Trust' approached the apex court seeking direction that Centre, state governments and private sectors immediately "stop the export of meat and meat products".

 

The plea filed through advocate R Chandrachud further stated that Centre, state governments or their agencies should immediately stop the production, sale or dealing in raw leather other related ancillary products for exports or domestic trade.

The petition also sought direction to the governments to close down all the slaughterhouses.

"Central government, state governments, Union Territories and their agencies cannot and should not run, promote, encourage, finance, help, assist or involve itself in the meat trade in any form or manner, be it directly or indirectly running and operating slaughterhouses, or any activity involving the raising and killing of any living creature for their flesh as food," read the petition.

The organisation has also filed another PIL in which it has sought direction that chemical farming should not be allowed as it was against the farmers' welfare and public health.

"Direct the Central government, the State governments and the Union Territories and all the agencies of the state to curb and cease (on a war-footing) the unconstitutional and hazardous chemical farming with the immediate aim of making the whole of India organic and doing away with chemical farming within a formulated plan of action and a given time-frame," the PIL stated.

The bench posted this PIL for hearing in February next year.