SC dismisses plea against PCA Act provision that allows killing of animals for religious purposes
New Delhi, Jul 7: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea challenging the constitutional validity of a provision of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act that allows any animal to be killed for religious purposes.
The petition argued that after insertion of Article 51-A to the Constitution, Section 28 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 cannot continue in as much as every citizen is under constitutional obligation to have compassion for living creatures.
It sought directions to stop animal sacrifice in name of religion.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha noted that there was a delay of 358 days in filing the appeal against an Allahabad High Court order of 2017.
"There is a delay of 358 days in filing the Special Leave Petition which has not been explained satisfactorily. Hence, without expressing any opinion on the question of law raised, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed on the ground of delay," the bench said.
Senior advocate Hari Sahankar Jain appeared for petitioner Gopeshwar Goshala Samiti.
The top court was hearing the appeal filed against the Allahabad high court order which had dismissed the Samiti's plea in 2017.
The plea said that sacrificing of animals in a most inhuman manner is against decency, morality and against public interest as also in violation of the Principles underline Article 51-A(g) and (h) of the Constitution.
"It is submitted that slaughtering of animals on Bakri Eid day including camels or for any other religious purposes by any member of any community be banned and respondents may be directed to ensure that nobody is allowed to sacrifice any animal on Bakri Eid day or for any other purpose or for any religious purposes at any place and the provisions of the PCA and rules made there under be directed to be implemented in letter and spirit," the plea said.
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Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘missing link’ to open on May 1; will improve travel safety: Shinde
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the long-awaited ‘missing link’ on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, aimed at bypassing the winding Bhor Ghat section and improving safety, will be inaugurated on May 1.
Shinde, who inspected the project site, said the new stretch will make the expressway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the hilly section.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to inaugurate the 13.3-km-long missing link, which connects Khopoli on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala, on Maharashtra Day, which is celebrated on May 1, he said.
The deputy CM said that 99 per cent of the project work has been completed. “I personally inspected the quality of work and found it satisfactory. The remaining minor works will be completed in the next few days,” Shinde said.
Shinde said the new alignment will bypass sharp curves and accident-prone stretches in the ghat section, helping reduce delays and improve commuter safety. He claimed accidents in the section would reduce substantially once the project becomes operational.
“The missing link project will make travel between Mumbai and Pune quicker, safer and more convenient, and will contribute significantly to the state’s development,” he said.
The Rs 6,700-crore project, developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), includes two tunnels, high viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley.
The missing link will reduce the travel distance between Mumbai and Pune by approximately 6 km and shorten the journey time by 20 to 30 minutes, said officials.
Initially, only light motor vehicles and buses will be permitted on the new stretch to reduce congestion on the existing ghat section, officials said, adding that heavy goods vehicles will be prohibited due to safety concerns.
“There will be no toll hike because of the missing link project. No increase has been proposed at the Khalapur toll plaza either,” Shinde said.
The project comprises two eight-lane tunnels of 1.75 km and 8.92 km in length and two viaducts measuring 850 metres and 650 metres, said officials. It has been designed to bypass the old Khandala ghat section, a winding route that has long slowed down traffic and posed safety risks, said officials.
The 650-metre viaduct will feature what officials described as India’s tallest road cable-stayed bridge, with pylons rising to 182 metres, taller than those on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
Officials claimed that the tunnels have a width of 23.75 metres and are among the widest road tunnels in the world. An MSRDC official said the tunnel is likely to be included in the Guinness Book of Records.
The route runs beneath the Lonavala lake area and was executed in difficult terrain marked by heavy rainfall and strong winds, officials said.
Shinde said projects such as the missing link would boost access to tourist destinations such as Lohagad Fort, Visapur Fort and Karla Caves.
MP Shrirang Barne, former corporator Abasaheb Bagul, MSRDC Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad and senior engineers from executing agencies were present during the inspection, officials said.
Krishnamurthy Subramanian, executive chairman of construction and engineering company Afcons International Private Limited, said the journey to completion of “India’s highest road cable-stayed bridge” was challenging.
“The bridge, located in the Sahyadri region, presented extreme challenges, including narrow ridges that left little room for heavy machinery, sudden wind speeds reaching up to 100 kmph, and dense fog reducing visibility to a few metres. Despite these conditions, we are proud to deliver this engineering marvel,” he said.
The expressway, spanning approximately 95 km, holds the distinction of being India's first access-controlled highway.
