Former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and some retired judges of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court have written to the Centre, urging it to come out with rules for the welfare of hens which are kept in small battery cages.
Expressing concern over the condition of hens, the former judges wrote separate letters to the Secretary of the Environment Ministry, requesting that "sufficient space is provided for a hen to stand up, turn around, spread wings, nest in private, perch and dust-bathe without hindrance."
Besides CJI Misra, the letters have been written by former Supreme Court judge Justice (retired) Manmohan Singh, Justice (retired) A K Sikri and former Delhi High Court judges Kailash Gambhir and S N Dhingra.
The judges said that the rules regarding welfare of poultry hens recommended by the Law Commission must be notified by the government.
The Law Commission had recommended phasing out of battery cages which restrict the movement of hens.
Retired Justices Sikri and Dhingra in their separate letters to environment secretary C K Mishra said that the "battery cages" were being used by the poultry industry in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act.
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