Madras High Court directs state to include Chief Kazi Mufti in panel

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, before which a petition filed Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath which sought quashing circular issued by Animal Welfare Board of India, Chennai, passed the order.

The petitioner submitted that the Constitution of India guarantees religious rights. Minorities are particularly entitled to follow the personal laws and their tenets, the petitioner said. It was submitted that Clause 7(2) of Quran says that camel should be sacrificed. Hence, the circular issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India regulating the slaughter of camels is against the Constitution and interfering with the Bakrid celebration to be held on September 24, the petitioner said and prayed to quash the circular issued by AWBI.

The first bench while referring to its order dated August, 25 2015, directed authorities to form a committee to regulate the slaughter. When the matter came up on Monday, the bench directed the authorities to include Chief Kazi of the state government to be a part of committee.