Bombay High Court: Granting interim relief to beef traders, a division bench comprising of VM Kanade and AR Joshi, JJ stayed their own order passed earlier directing police and civic body officials to implement the amended law that banned slaughtering bulls and bullocks and possessing their flesh and beef. Earlier, the Court had passed an order directing police and municipal corporation officials to make sure that bulls and bullocks are not slaughtered in abattoirs. Due to this order, ‘Bombay Suburban Beef Dealer’s Welfare Association had approached the same bench of high court, claiming that the court order was misinterpreted by officials and the court should either amend or clarify it.
The lawyers representing the beef traders argued that the amendment Act does not prescribe the date on which the said amendment has to come into force and that there is no material on record to indicate that there is publication in the Official Gazette and, hence, the court order should not come into effect till the President’s assent is published.The lawyers for the NGO urged the court that being an Amendment Act, the question of publication of the assent does not arise as the Act came into force when the Principal Act was passed and it came into force on April 15, 1978. They also said that the lives of several cattle would be lost if this order is clarified or stayed.
The Court taking into consideration the provisions of the Maharashtra General Clauses Act, 1904 particularly Section5(1)(ii) clarified that even if the assent is given by the President, it has to be published in the Official Gazette and only then the Act shall come into operation on that date and held that the contention of Petitioner’s Counsel that this applies to the main Act and not amendment Act to be without any substance.Bhartiya Gauvansh Rakshan Sanvardhan Parishad vs. State of Maharashtra, 2015 SCC OnLine Bom 484 , decided on 05-03-2015