Gate pass from abattoir is licence to sacrifice goat: Bombay High Court

Holding that the passes issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) while taking out goats from Deonar slaughter house is licence to sacrifice goat in Bakri-Id, a holiday bench of the Bombay high court on Monday refused to grant any interim relief to two members of Simla House Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. The duo was seeking directions to restrain a few other society members from slaughtering goats in the society premises on “Id-ul-Azha” (Bakri Id).

Kumar Shah and Alden Rebello had moved the high court on an urgent basis seeking directions for the Municipal Corporation to not issue licence granting permission to sacrifice goats in the Simla Housing Society and also for state government to restrain three members of the society from sacrificing goats on the society premises.

Petitioner’s lawyer G.S. Mohanty on behalf of petitioners had argued before the court that the respondents wanted to sacrifice goats on the terrace of the building but the petitioners were not in favour of slaughtering goats on the society premises. He told the court that the petitioners had written to the BMC in this regard but did not receive any response. Instead, the Malabar Hill police called upon the petitioners and asked them to give a written undertaking to maintain peace in the area.

On the other hand, advocate Mubin Solkar produced 10 licences issued by the BMC in the names of respondents allowing them to slaughter one goat per licence on Bakri-Id.

However, petitioners submitted before the court that the documents produced by the respondents are mere gate passes issued by the Deonar slaughter house for removal of goats from the slaughterhouse.

However, the division bench of Justice S.J. Kathawala and Justice S.C. Gupte disagreed with the petitioners. “...the licences produced before us prima facie establish that by their means permissions have been granted to the holders to slaughter animals,” said the judges.