Karnataka will have one of the most stringent anti-cow slaughter laws and a complete beef ban if a proposed bill goes through in the upcoming Winter Session of the Karnataka Assembly.
Minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chauhan told The Quint that the proposed bill will be an enhanced version of Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2010, and it will also see modified punishments compared to the previous version of the bill.
The minister confirmed that as per the new bill all cattle will be defined as beef. This move would result in a complete cattle meat ban across the state.
“The new bill introduced will be a modified version of the 2010 bill and there will be some changes in the punishment as well,” Chauhan said.
Clause 5 of the 2010 Bill had proposed the prohibition on the sale, use, and possession of beef. It had also proposed not less than a one-year jail term and up to Rs 25,000 fine for the sale and the possession of beef. These provisions will be retained in the new bill, Chauhan added.
What is the 2010 Bill?
Karnataka already has an anti-cattle slaughter bill – Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964. The provisions of this, however, were restricted to the slaughter of cows, calves and she-buffaloes.
The law allowed for the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes, provided they were aged above twelve, or were no longer fit for breeding or did not give milk. The law also required certification from the competent authority for slaughter.
The maximum imprisonment for violating the provisions of the 1964 Act is six months and a Rs 1,000 fine.
However, in 2010, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) proposed a bill to make slaughter of all kinds of cattle, including buffaloes, a punishable crime.
As per the 2010 draft, violations of the new law would be punishable with imprisonment for not less than one year, which may extend up to seven years, or a fine between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, or both. A second and subsequent offence would attract a fine of not less than Rs 50,000 up to Rs 1 lakh along with an imprisonment penalty.
This punishment is more than any other state in the country. The new draft is expected to retain these provisions.
The new bill will be tabled before the Karnataka Assembly during the winter session starting starting from 7 December.
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