Slaughter Ban During Jain Festival May Trigger Similar Demands From Other Communities: Bombay High Court

Mumbai, July 7, 2025: The Bombay High Court on Monday expressed reservations over imposing a nine-day ban on animal slaughter during the Jain community’s ‘Paryushan Parv’, noting that such a move could lead to similar demands from other religious groups during their own festivals, such as Ganesh Chaturthi or Navratri.

A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing a petition filed by a Jain trust, which challenged the 2024 orders by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the civic bodies of Nashik and Pune, which permitted a slaughter ban for only one day during Paryushan last year.

The trust urged the court to impose a complete slaughter ban for nine days starting from August 21, citing the importance of Ahimsa (non-violence) in Jainism and the sanctity of the Paryushan Parv. They argued that allowing animal slaughter during the festival offends the core tenets of their faith.

The bench questioned whether it could pass such an order, stating:
“If we allow this for Paryushan, then what stops other communities from demanding similar bans for Ganesh Chaturthi or Navratri?”

The state government has already designated 15 days in a year as “no-slaughter” days, including one day for Paryushan, the court was informed. The judges further asked whether the judiciary should interfere in a policy decision, particularly when the vegetarian-to-non-vegetarian ratio of Maharashtra’s population is unknown.

The bench also highlighted that many surrounding municipal corporations lack their own slaughterhouses and rely on the Deonar facility in Mumbai.
“Under which statutory provision can slaughterhouses be shut for nine consecutive days?” the court asked.

The court directed BMC, Nashik, Pune, and Mira-Bhayandar municipal corporations to reconsider the trust’s representation and issue a decision by August 18.

Senior advocate Darius Khambata, appearing for the trust, pointed out that last year BMC permitted only a one-day ban, citing Mumbai’s cosmopolitan nature and the large non-Jain population who consume meat regularly. He also stated that Nashik and Pune provided no specific reasons in their orders, while Mira-Bhayandar didn’t issue any order at all.

The court has asked the trust to resubmit its representation to all four municipal bodies for reconsideration.