New Delhi: On Friday, as the Environment Ministry’s gazette notification banning cattle slaughter and restrictions on the sale of cattle kicked up a controversy, confusion prevailed around the scope of the rules and rights of the state governments.
News18 helps you understand the rules in each state as on date:
States where cow slaughter is not illegal
Kerala, West Bengal and North-eastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. In Manipur, a royal edict banned cow slaughter, but beef is consumed widely.
States where cow slaughter is banned
RAJASTHAN
Slaughter of “cow, calf, heifer, bull or bullock” prohibited; possession, transport of their flesh prohibited. 10 years’ imprisonment and/or Rs 10,000 fine.
ANDHRA PRADESH & TELANGANA
Offenders face jail term for six months and/or Rs 1,000 fine.
ASSAM
Cow slaughter banned except on issue of ‘fit-for-slaughter’ certificate at designated places.
BIHAR
Slaughter of cows, calves banned; of bulls, bullocks older than 15 years allowed. Violators face 6 months’ jail and/or Rs 1,000 fine
CHANDIGARH
Killing a cow, storing/serving/eating beef banned; eating meat of buffalo, bullock, ox also banned.
CHHATTISGARH
Slaughter of cow, buffalo, bull, bullock, calf, and possession of their meat banned. Transport, export to other states for slaughter also banned; attracts same punishment of 7 years’ jail, fine up to Rs 50,000.
DELHI
Slaughter of “agricultural cattle” — cow, calf, bull, bullock — and “possession of [their] flesh”, even if they are killed outside Delhi, banned. Buffalo meat, or carabeef, is allowed.
GUJARAT
Slaughter of cow, calf, bull and bullock; transport, sale of their meat banned. Punishment: Rs 50,000 fine, up to 7 years’ jail. Buffalo meat, or carabeef, is allowed.
HARYANA
“Cow”, which includes bull, bullock, ox, heifer, calf, and disabled/diseased/barren cows, can’t be killed, as per a 2015 law. Three-10 years jail and fine up to Rs 1 lakh as punishment. Ban on sale of canned beef and beef products, and export of cows for slaughter.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Slaughter of all bovines punishable by a jail term of five years. Killing allowed in the interest of research, or if animal has contagious disease.
JAMMU & KASHMIR
Slaughter of cow and its progeny punishable by jail term of up to 10 years. Possession of “flesh of any [of these] slaughtered animal(s)” punishable by a year; killing of “he or she buffalo” punishable with fine five times the animal’s price.
JHARKHAND
Slaughter of cows and oxen; possession, consumption of their meat, banned. Violators face up to 10 years’ jail and/or Rs 10,000 fine.
KARNATAKA
Cows can be slaughtered if old or diseased. Possession, however, is not a crime. According to a bill proposed by the BJP in 2010, cow slaughter made slaughter punishable by 7 years’ jail and Rs 1 lakh fine. The bill is still pending for approval in Karnataka assembly.
MADHYA PRADESH
Slaughter of cow, progeny banned. Penalty increased to 7 years’ jail in 2012, burden of proof on accused. Buffaloes can be killed.
MAHARASHTRA
Slaughter, consumption of meat of cow, bull, bullock banned since March 2015 after revision of existing law. 5 years’ jail and/or Rs 10,000 fine. Slaughter of buffaloes, however, is allowed.
ODISHA
2 years’ jail, Rs 1,000 fine for cow slaughter. Old bulls, bullocks can be killed on fit-for-slaughter certificate; cow if it suffers from contagious disease.
PUNJAB
“Beef” doesn’t include imported beef; “cow” includes bulls, bullocks, oxen, heifer and calves. Slaughter allowed for export, of the govt allows.
TAMIL NADU
Cow, calf slaughter banned; up to 3 years’ jail and/or Rs 1,000 fine. Beef consumption and slaughter of economically worthless animals allowed.
UTTAR PRADESH
Slaughter of cow, bullock, ox banned. Can’t store or eat beef. 7 years’ jail and/or Rs 10,000 fine. Can import in sealed containers, to be served to foreigners. Buffaloes can be killed.
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