SC admits plea of Tripura govt challenging animal sacrifice ban

AGARTALA: The Supreme Court on Friday admitted the Tripura government's plea challenging the high court ban on animal sacrifice in the temples of the state.


A bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman issued notice to animal rights activist Subhash Bhattacharjee on a special leave petition filed by the Tripura government against the September 27 judgment of the Tripura High Court .

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Arindam Lodh of the High Court through a judgement banned animal sacrifice in all temples. The bench cited that animals also have a fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. "No person including the State shall be allowed to sacrifice any animal/bird within the precincts of any of the temples within the State of Tripura," the High Court had said.

Following the ban, a number of religious rituals, like the one on Durgabari temple, went without sacrifice of any animals - the first to happen in over 500 years.