The Himachal High Court today said any law at the national level prohibiting slaughter of cows and import, export or sale of beef or beef products has to be enacted by the Centre and asked it to take necessary action in this regards within six months.
Disposing of the petition filed by Bhartiya Govansh Raksha Samvardhan Parishad, Himachal Pradesh, a division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Thakur said, "This court has suggested the Union of India to enact the law prohibiting slaughtering of cow/calf, import or export of cow/calf, selling of beef or beef products at national level within three months but the Union of India filed an affidavit, making averments in its reply/affidavitthat the subject falls in the State List and only five states and one Union Territory have no legislation on the subject.
"However, Union of India did not take into consideration thatthe subject was also in the Concurrent List and it was open for the Union of India to enact law at the national level prohibiting slaughtering of cow/calf, import or export of cow/calf, selling of beef or beef."
The court also directed the state chief secretary to ensure release of sufficient funds for the construction of gausadans and disposed of the petition with the mandatory directions.
It also made it clear that the directions issued by it from time to time -- on October 7, 2014; January 8, 2015; May 2, 2015; October 14, 2015; and March3, 2016 shall also form integral part of the judgment.
The bench further directed the chief secretary to ensure that the State Agriculture Commission is constituted, notified and made functional within a period of three months positively and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is implemented in letter and spirit and also include the other crops under the scheme.
