New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking stricter penalty in cases of animal cruelty. As of now, the penalty under the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act is only Rs 50 and no jail term.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh acting on the writ petition filed by Angel Trust, NGO, in the wake of increased number of cases in the country where animals have been cruelly killed or hit, issued notice to ministry of environment, forests and climate change.
Counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the trust, had sought immediate intervention of the court to address the rising instances of barbaric animal cruelty and inhumane exploitation in the pet shop industry. The trust said in the last few years there has been a sudden rise in the cases of instances of barbaric animal cruelty such as: A Delhi man torturing and beating pet dogs. One of the salient reasons for an alarming increase in animal cruelty has to do with the fact that as of now there is vacuum of law with regard to protection of animals.
It said the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, has not been amended since 1960 to keep up with the times and even today the only punishment for such dastardly acts is a mere fine of Rs 50 and no jail term. It is appalling to mention that, despite about one year being passed since the submission of the report by the Law Commission to the Centre recommending stringent punishment, no such rules have been notified, and the egregious violation of animal laws and inhumane exploitation in the pet industry, runs rampant.
