MP House clears cow slaughter Bill

All offences are punishable with a fine of not less than Rs 5,000.

The 2004 legislation passed by the BJP government had not spelled out any minimum punishment while the maximum punishment was three years.

Significantly,the earlier version provided for either jail term or fine or both. In the absence of any minimum jail term,the government argued on Thursday,the offenders could go home after paying a fine that was limited to Rs 10,000.

Animal Husbandry Minister Ajay Vishnoi told the Assembly that the state government wanted the maximum jail term to be 10 years but reduced it to seven after the Centre’s advice.

In 2007,the state government had sent a draft to the Centre to know the latter’s opinion on the Bill’s constitutional validity.

The Centre opined that no clearance was needed at that stage and asked the state to first get the Bill cleared in the Assembly. However,the Centre had said that the maximum jail term was too harsh and that a total ban on cow slaughter was not practical in that it would burden owners with unproductive cattle.

The legislation passed on Thursday shifts the ‘burden of proof’ to the accused in that those charged with offences under the legislation will have to prove their innocence unlike previously when the prosecution had to prove their guilt.

The government said it was amending the 2004 legislation because it had loopholes that allowed offenders to go scot-free.