The Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to establish a grievance forum to address citizen complaints regarding violations related to animal sacrifices or slaughter during festivals, including the upcoming Bakrid. The Court’s order also mandates the BMC to prominently display on its website the regulatory mechanisms in place for religious festivals involving animal sacrifice or slaughter.
The divisional bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Sandeep Marne, further emphasized that toll-free complaint reporting numbers must be prominently displayed by the BMC.
The Court’s decision was made in response to a petition filed in 2018 by the Jiv Maritri Trust, an NGO that challenged the BMC’s public notices concerning animal sacrifices or slaughter. In August 2018, the High Court had directed the BMC to formulate a comprehensive regulatory policy to ensure that such practices during religious festivals are carried out in accordance with the law. A year later, the Supreme Court ordered the BMC to adhere to safety, hygiene, and public safety standards during these events.
The BMC subsequently developed a policy for issuing provisional no objection certificates (NOC) to individuals for animal execution during festivals or ceremonies. Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare, representing the BMC, informed the Court that the NOC policy had been periodically revised and updated. He stated that the issue was addressed annually during Bakri-Eid and that a public notice with toll-free complaint numbers had been published.
Sakhare further added that upon receiving complaints through the helpline or email, a dedicated task force would be available round the clock to address the reported issues.
