The government withdrew its notification banning the sale of cattle for slaughter in cattle markets.
What was the notification about?
The Centre had amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in May 2017.
It laid out conditions under which cattle could be sold in the markets.
According to the notification cattle can be sold only after sellers formally stated that the animals had not been “brought to the market for sale for slaughter”.
Buyers would also have had to verify whether they are agriculturalists.
Buyers should declare that they would not sell the animals for 6 months from the date of purchase.
The notification had defined cattle as a bovine animal “including bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves as well as camels.
Why was the notification rolled back?
The government justified that the notification was a follow up to the SC’s directive to the government to form an inter-ministerial committee to recommend ways of preventing cattle smuggling.
But the notification had led to a furore among animal traders and farmers as it impacted their business.
Farmers said that they cannot directly access slaughterhouses to sell redundant cattle and this notification denies them the access to the market.
The curbs were also seen as a double blow given the continuing attacks by cow vigilantes.
The Madras High Court stayed the order.
Subsequently the Supreme Court extended the stay to the whole country.
Following this the government suggested that it was about to come up with amendments.
