Paryushan Parva: Bombay High Court Orders Civic Bodies To Decide Whether Animal Slaughter, Sale Of Meat Can Be Temporarily Banned

The Bombay High Court on Thursday ordered all the municipal corporations in Maharashtra to urgently decide the representations made by various Charitable Trusts of the Jain community seeking a temporary ban on the slaughtering of animals and sale of meat in view of the community's "Paryushan Parva."

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar heard a PIL petition filed by Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities through advocates Shreyash Shah and Udayan Mukherjee, stating that the petitioner and around 30 other Jain charitable trusts have made various representations to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other civic bodies in Maharashtra, seeking a temporary ban on slaughtering of animals during the Paryushan Parv, between August 31, 2024 to September 07, 2024.

A counsel representing the State authorities, informed the bench about a notification issued by the State government, way back in June 2019, directing all the municipal corporations to ensure there is no slaughtering of animals or sale of meat during the first and last day of the Paryushan Parva.

"Apart from that, civic bodies also urge people to observe this on other days of the festival," the counsel submitted.

The bench, however, said it found no impediment in ordering the municipal corporations to decide the representations made by the petitioners and like trusts seeking a temporary ban on animal slaughtering and sale of meat during the festival.

"We however, clarify that we have not made any comment or observation on the merits of the case and also the contentions. The civic bodies to decide the representation independently and as per the law," the bench made it clear.

With these observations, the bench disposed of the petition.

Case Title: Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities vs State of Maharashtra