The Jharkhand High Court has asked the State to file comprehensive affidavit with regard to the implementation of orders prohibiting the sale of banned meats in the State and curbing the menace of illegal slaughterhouses. Ordering that the affidavit must also contain details on the implementation of the provisions of the municipal laws, as well as the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the High Court stated that the State and other respondents have been shirking away from the responsibilities.

The High Court passed such directions while dealing with a PIL seeking to curb the menace of illegal slaughterhouses operating within the State.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar held, “In the given facts and circumstances, we deem it appropriate to grant a week’s time to the respondents to put their house in order and file a comprehensive affidavit with regard to the implementation of not only the said judgment passed by this Court, but also with regard to the implementation of the provisions of the municipal laws as well as the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the regulations framed thereunder, failing which the erring respondent(s) shall not only appear before this Court, but this Court may also be constrained to make adverse comment upon working of the respondents who, as observed above, have been simply dilly-dallying and shirking away from the duties and responsibilities.”

Factual Background

On July 27, 2025, the High Court had sought affidavits from the State Government and the Director General of Police on their respective actions on the order prohibiting the sale of banned meats. On November 28, 2025, the High Court passed an order mentioning that the respondents were simply dillydallying with the implementation of the orders passed by the Court, whereby the RMC was directed to frame regulations, including making provision to grant a licence to private slaughter houses and to get approval on the same by the State Government. It was further ordered that till the Regulation is finally notified, the members of the petitioner as well as the other mutton sellers carrying on their business after obtaining a licence/registration, shall not be compelled to get the animals slaughtered at the Municipal Slaughter House situated at Kanke, Ranchi.

An order was passed on December 12, 2025, calling upon the presence of the Secretary, Health, Medical Education & Family Welfare and the Secretary, Urban Development and Housing Department, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi, as well as the Administrator, Ranchi Municipal Corporation, Ranchi.

Reasoning

The Bench noted that no effective steps were taken by the respondents to curb the menace of illegal slaughterhouses/operators operating within the State of Jharkhand. Reference was made to a supplementary counter affidavit filed on behalf of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, which did not touch upon any of the events which may have taken place after the year 2023, i.e., after the passing of the judgment.

The Bench also interacted with the aforementioned Officers and apprised them about the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. The officers had assured the Court that the regulations, as well as the directions passed by this Court, along with the provisions made in various statutes, would be implemented in their letter and spirit, and the regulations as directed by this Court would be formulated within a period of two months.

The Bench thus directed, “ In the meantime, the respondents are directed to ensure that the provisions of the regulations as well as the directions as issued by this Court more particularly as contained in paragraph no. 63 wherein the mutton sellers have been permitted to carry out their businesses only in terms of the registration provided under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 read with the Regulations, 2011, are complied with. It shall further be ensured that no unauthorized person is permitted to sell mutton.”

“It shall also be ensured that even the mutton that is sold, shall be permitted to be sold only after it complies with the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, the Regulations, 2011 more particularly Schedule-4 of Part IV, are complied with in its letters and spirit. Any violation of these instructions may entail serious consequences by this Court”, it ordered.

The matter has now been listed on February 27, 2026.

Cause Title: Shyamanand Pandey v. The State of Jharkhand (Case No.: W.P.(PIL) No. 5169 of 2023)

Appearance

Petitioner: Advocate Shubham Kataruka

Respondent: AG Rajiv Ranjan, AC Yogesh Modi, Advocates L.C.N. Shahdeo, Yash Raj Gupta, Praveen Chandra, Atul Rai

Click here to read/download Order





Jharkhand High CourtJustice Tarlok Singh ChauhanJustice Rajesh Shankar

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.