Is meat banned in India? Check what Article 48 of the Constitution of India say

Meat Ban During Navratri: The meat ban during Navratri has become the talk of the town after South Delhi Mayor Mukesh Suryan on Monday announced that the shops under his jurisdiction will remain closed during Navratri. 

The decision, according to him, is made as 99% of households refrain from using garlic and onion during Navratri. He added that violation of the decision would attract a fine. 

During Navratri, 99% of households in Delhi don't even use garlic & onion, so we've decided that no meat shops will be open in South MCD; the decision will be implemented from tomorrow. Fine will be imposed on violators: Mukkesh Suryaan, Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation pic.twitter.com/zGCw3dOW4R

— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2022

Following this, the East Delhi Mayor also called for the closure of meat shops during Navratri as most people do not consume non-vegetarian food. 

However, the officials have not yet received official notification, Hindustan Times reported. 

Commenting on the meat ban, TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, "I live in South Delhi. The Constitution allows me to eat meat when I like and the shopkeeper the freedom to run his trade."

I live in South Delhi.
The Constitution allows me to eat meat when I like and the shopkeeper the freedom to run his trade.

Full stop.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) April 6, 2022

Taking a jibe at the meat ban, former J&K CM Omar Abdullah tweeted, " During Ramzan, we don't eat between sunrise & sunset. I suppose it’s OK if we ban every non-Muslim resident or tourist from eating in public, especially in the Muslim dominated areas. If majoritarianism is right for South Delhi, it has to be right for J&K."

During Ramzan we don’t eat between sunrise & sunset. I suppose it’s OK if we ban every non-Muslim resident or tourist from eating in public, especially in the Muslim dominated areas. If majoritarianism is right for South Delhi, it has to be right for J&K. https://t.co/G5VQylmMvB

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 5, 2022

As the meat ban has snowballed into a political controversy, we look at Article 48 of the Constitution of India. 

Article 48 of the Indian Constitution

Article 48 is included in the Indian Constitution as a “Directive Principle of State Policy” and is therefore not enforceable in any court of law. It aims at protecting Bos Indicus. 

The article guides the states to make efforts for banning the slaughtering of cows and calves, along with other milch and draught cattle; and directs them to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. 

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Directive Principles of Article 48

1- All the states of the Union of India shall preserve and improve the breed. 

2- The state governments shall reorganise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. 

3- The state shall take necessary actions to ban the illegal slaughtering and smuggling of cattle, calves and other milch and draught cattle.

4- The state shall protect and improve the environment, along with safeguarding the forests and wildlife. 

5- The states shall ban the slaughtering of animals in unrecognized and unlicensed slaughterhouses. 

6- The states shall prohibit the slaughtering of pregnant animals or animals having offspring less than three months old.

7- Animal under the age of three months, or is not fit to be used commercially, shall not be slaughtered. 

While Article 48 of the Indian Constitution protects cows and calves, and other milch and draught cattle, it nowhere mentions the meat ban.

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