New Delhi: The Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea challenging the Delhi High Court order, which dismissed a petition seeking a direction to the authorities to ensure no cattle markets, are held in the national capital without obtaining prior permission on the occasion of Bakra-Eid. A bench comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia told the petitioner, Ajay Gautam while expressing its disinclination to entertain the plea, “This court can’t be monitoring everything, which goes on in every part of the country.” Gautam submitted that the High Court had dismissed his plea saying he had not made out any specific case or cited any particular instance where the rules were violated.
The bench said the photographs placed by him before the High Court did not show any animal sacrifice being performed. The bench said these are local issues and questioned “Is it for the highest court now to see what is happening in Delhi, in a particular area…?” Gautam contended that he was not touching upon any religious issue, but talking about the enforcement of rules that are in place. However, the apex court did not agree with his contention. Gautam sought the court’s permission to withdraw the petition saying he wanted to file a review petition before the High Court.
The bench dismissed the petition as withdrawn. Gautam had challenged the High Court’s July 3 order, which dismissed his plea. His plea, filed in the apex court, said, “It is submitted in this regard that petitioner had specifically pointed out in his writ petition that illegal cattle markets are held at various places viz. Jaffrabad, Okhla, Jamia, Jama Masjid, Seelampur, interlock, Jamia amongst others without prior permission of the administration or its competent authorities, and all the rules framed by the government are openly flouted and violated fearlessly”.
The plea submitted that the High Court completely ignored that the petitioner had specifically annexed photographs of the illegal markets and also had pointed out locations and incidences of illegal animal markets held in different parts of Delhi. “It is submitted in this regard that photographs of last year’s Bakra-Eid ample proof of rampant violation of the rules framed by the government and specifically showed inhuman treatment of innocent animals. It is evident from these few photographs that State is not performing its duties”, said the plea. The plea submitted that it is mandatory to obtain a certificate from the doctor of the Veterinary department before putting up an animal for sale in the market. “But no such certificate has ever been obtained by the vendors of these illegal markets”, it said.
