HC refuses stay on permission granted to 67 private shops to slaughter animals for Eid al-Adha
Mumbai, Jun 13: The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to stay the permission granted to 67 private shops and 47 municipal markets in Mumbai to slaughter animals during the Bakri Eid festival.
A division bench of Justices M S Sonak and Kamal Khata noted that it would not be right to grant any relief to the petitioner "on the eve" of the festival.
It said the relief was sought belatedly and that no application was filed seeking interim orders against the permission granted.
City-based NGO Jiv Maitri Trust, which works towards the protection and welfare of animals, had challenged a May 29 communication issued by the BMC granting nod to 67 private shops and 47 municipal markets for slaughter of animals from June 17 to June 19 for Bakri Eid.
The plea said the permission granted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was not in consonance with an earlier policy of the civic body allowing the slaughter of animals only at the Deonar abattoir.
The policy prohibited slaughter at private places including meat shops, residential societies and houses.
BMC's counsel Milind Sathe argued that such petitions are filed a few days before the festival every year.
He said the permission to slaughter animals is only for three days and that similar permission was granted to 72 private shops last year.
Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for certain intervenors (non-parties to the case), opposed the plea and said it was their fundamental right to slaughter. To this, the petitioner's advocate said even animals have rights.
The bench, however, said it was not inclined to grant any relief.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
