SC to examine laws dealing with animal, bird sacrifices

SC to examine laws dealing with animal, bird sacrifices

Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Animal/Wildlife conservation

In news:

• Supreme Court to examine the constitutional validity of the Kerala Animals and Bird Sacrifices Prohibition Act of 1968 that prohibits sacrifice of animals and birds in temples to ‘please’ the deity.
• SC bench highlighted the “dichotomy” in animal protection law that allows killing of animals for food but does not permit “killing of animals for offer to a deity and then consumption”.
• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 allows killing of animals but prohibits cruelty to animals.

Section 28 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1960 does not make killing of animals for religious purposes an offence. However the 1968 Kerala State law bans killing of animals and birds for religious sacrifices but not for personal consumption.