The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre over its notification banning sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter at animal markets across the country. The Supreme Court issued the notice while hearing a plea challenging Narendra Modi-led Union government’s notification banning sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets across the country for slaughter. The plea has challenged the notification, saying it violates the right to free trade.

The next date of hearing in the case is July 11. The apex court has also asked the Centre to file its response in two weeks. The plea has challenged the notification, saying it violates the right to free trade. The petitioner Mohammed Abdul Faheem Qureshi, who moved the apex court on June 7, has also challenged the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017 which provides for the seizures, recovery of the cost of transportation, maintenance and treatment of seized animals.

On June 7, the vacation bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Deepak Gupta had directed the listing of the matter on June 15 after counsel Sanobar Ali Qureshi, appearing for the Hyderabad-based petitioner had mentioned the matter urging for an early hearing.

The petitioner has claimed that Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017, which bans sale of cattle for slaughter and other Rules Arestricts cattle trade respectively are “arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional.”

He has also claimed the rules violate his Constitutional rights to practise any profession or to carry on any occupation, protection of life and personal liberty, freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion and protection of interests of minorities, according to IANS.

The cattle trade notification, which came on May 23, sparked protests across the country with the opposition parties attacking the Centre for apparently trying to change people’s eating habits.