Telangana Government Faces Court Notice for Ignoring Cow Slaughter Prohibition Rules

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued notices to the state government and Director General of Police (DGP) seeking their response on allegations of non-implementation of the Telangana Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act.

The vacation bench, headed by Justice K. Sarath, is hearing a petition filed by the World Hindu Federation (India), which raised concerns about the government’s failure to enforce legal mandates aimed at preventing cow slaughter and smuggling of beef, especially ahead of the upcoming Bakrid festival on June 7.

Petition Highlights Non-Compliance With Section 8 of the Act

The petitioner organization informed the court that, according to Section 8 of the Act, no animal can be slaughtered without a veterinarian’s certificate, and only at locations designated by the approved authorities. However, despite these clear provisions, no official guidelines or warnings have been issued by the state government or police authorities to regulate the process effectively.

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Previous Court Directives on Strict Implementation Ignored

The petition further cited that the High Court had earlier specifically directed the state DGP to strictly implement Sections 5 to 7 of the Act during the Bakrid festival. Section 6 of the Act explicitly prohibits the slaughter or killing of cows, calves, and she-buffaloes without obtaining a certificate from the competent local authority declaring the animal fit for slaughter.

Government Yet to Fully Enforce Provisions

According to the petitioner, the government and police have only set up a few check-posts, neglecting other critical provisions of the law. The additional advocate general requested more time, and the court has granted the state government until June 18 to file its counter affidavit.