The Madras High Court today directed the Chief Kazi of the government of Tamil Nadu, Mufti Dr Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub, to be part of the Committee that is going to suggest regulations with regard to slaughtering of camels.
A petition filed by Tamil Nadu Thowhead Jamadh, represented by its Secretary M. Mohammed Yusuf, had sought a direction to quash the circular of the Animal Welfare Board of India regulating the slaughter of camels.
While closing the petition, the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam directed the Chief Kazi to be a part of the committee that is going to regulate the slaughtering of camels.
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The petitioner submitted that the Article 25 and 26 of Constitution of India guarantees religious rights.
Minorities are particularly entitled to follow the personal laws and their tenets, the petitioner said. It was submitted that Clause 7(2) of Quran says that camel should be sacrificed.
Hence, the circular issued by The Animal Welfare Board of India regulating the slaughter of camels is against the Constitution and interfering with the Bakrid celebration to be held on September 24, the petitioner said and prayed to quash the circular issued by AWBI.
The First Bench had on August 25 set up a committee to regulate camel slaughtering.
After submission of the counsel for the petitioner, the bench said the counsel had submitted that the objective of moving the writ petition was to see that a representative from the Muslim community was part of the committee.
The court asked the AG as to who should be the appropriate person.
"Counsel for the petitioner also expressed his view and their common cause is that the proper person would be the chief Kazi of the gGovernment of Tamil Nadu, Mufti Dr. Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub who could be the part of the committee so that religious aspects of the community are also considered," it said.
This was acceptable to the AG, the bench said.
