Two fresh petitions were filed on Monday in the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding the ban on beef imposed by Maharashtra government through an enactment. The Bombay High Court had upheld the beef ban imposed by the state government after the enactment of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act banning the slaughter of bulls and bullocks, besides cows. The high court, however, had said that mere possession of the meat cannot invite criminal action while striking down the relevant sections of the Act. The high court order had come on a bunch of petitions challenging the provision of the law which had said that mere possession of beef in any place in the state is a crime. As per the Act, slaughter attracts a five-year jail term and Rs 10,000 fine and possession of meat of bull or bullock leads to one-year jail and Rs 2,000 fine.

Source: dna August 22, 2016 15:11 UTC