The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a PIL asking a ban on cow slaughter in every state in order to prevent excessive interstate illegal transportation of cattle.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana told petitioner Vineet Sahai's counsel Sarvesh Bisaria, "A state may decide to ban it while another may decide not to. We cannot interfere in such decisions."

Bisaria said "many states had banned cow slaughter but some still allowed it. This has resulted in the rampant illegal transportation of cattle from states which have banned cow slaughter in those states which permit slaughter. Moreover, there is no policy in place to regulate the inter-state transportation of cattle."

The CJI told Bisaria that "the SC had passed comprehensive directions to the Centre and states in July last year to frame rules to stop illegal interstate and cross-border transportation of cattle. "Committees have been put in place by states to prevent illegal cattle transportation," the bench said and dismissed the PIL."

Only a few states like Kerala, West Bengal, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have been permitted for the slaughter of cow and serving of beef in restaurants.

'Gau Rakshaks Should be Banned': Asaduddin Owaisi

BY M. DIVYA SRI