In a huge U-turn of the February 2015 order, the Bombay High Court today de-criminalised the possession of beef if slaughtered outside Maharashtra. However, the court upheld the Maharashtra government's decision to ban slaughter of bullocks in the state.


The high court today struck down a section in the  Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act which criminalises possession of beef brought from outside Maharashtra.

Even possession of cow, bull, bullock meat, even if it is slaughtered outside the state was considered an offence This particular provision was challenged in the petitions.

In February 2015, the President had granted assent to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act. While the original 1976 Act banned slaughter of cows, the amendment prohibited, in addition, slaughter of bulls and bullocks and possession and consumption of their meat.

As per the Act, slaughter attracts a five-year jail-term and Rs. 10,000 fine while possession of meat of bull or bullock attracts one-year in jail and Rs 2,000 fine.

The decriminalisation of the order happened on the basis of petitions filed by Arif Kapadia, a Mumbai resident, and lawyer Harish Jagtiani, who  challenged the provision which says mere possession of beef anywhere in the state is a crime. This is arbitrary and undermines the cosmopolitan nature of the city which houses people from all religions and communities, they contend.