The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Centre, the AAP government and the police to ensure compliance of legal provisions on transporting cattle meant for slaughter, saying violation of these laws "cannot be countenanced".
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said none of the authorities have been able to show compliance or implementation of the statutory regime and rules and underscored that action deserves to be taken on complaints and FIRs lodged against the violations.
The court noted that while the petitioner has cited several instances of violations and lodging of FIRs, the authorities have not indicated a single violation.
It also observed that the authorities, including the police have not even shown whether any prosecution was carried out pursuant to the FIRs.
The court said that the issue was "important" and "following the laws and rules is mandatory".
The court was hearing a PIL alleging that cattle meant for slaughter were subjected to cruelty as they were transported in overloaded trucks.
It directed the authorities to "ensure compliance of the statutory regime and rules" and disposed of the petition filed through advocate Anupam Tripathi.
The petitioners, animal rights activists Saurabh Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, had claimed in their plea that cattle are being ferried in violation of the Transport of Animal Rules and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and more than half of the animals die during the journey.
The plea had alleged that the Centre, the Delhi government and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) are turning a blind eye to the violations.
The petitioners had alleged that the trucks are filled three to six times beyond the legal limit and as a result 50 per cent of more of such cattle die during every trip.
The petitioners, who are also members of NGO People for Animals, had alleged that the police stations concerned where such crime is reported are not serious in registering FIR or in taking action against the culprits.
