Legal Reasoning Online Test (CLAT) - 02 [Freedom of Religion]

 

Passage:

DIRECTION FOR QUESTIONS: Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Supreme Court has stayed the clause of prohibiting sacrifice of cattle for religious purposes under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017.

With this ruling, during Bakrid, which is observed in the first week of September, cattle can be sacrificed without any legal ramifications. However, cattle does not include ‘cow’ as its slaughter is illegal in most states including Telangana. The SC ruling comes after a few animal rights activists and organizations approached the apex court with an intervening extending stay on the 2017 notification that bans sacrifice of animals for religious purposes. Court held on the issue of animal sacrifice during Eid stands settled in the Mohd Hanif Qureshi v Bihar and Mirzapur Moti Kureshi v State of Gujarat cases. In those cases, the courts held that animal sacrifice was not an essential component of Islam and cannot be granted protection under Article 25 of the Constitution.

Right to Freedom of Religion Article 25:

(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.

(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law— (a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice; (b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.

[Source (edited) No ban on Animal sacrifices for religious purposes, Indian Express

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2017/aug/13/no-ban-on-animal-sacrifice-for-religious purposes-1642555--1.html]