Verus Advocates won an order lifting the city-wide Mumbai ban on the sale of meat that was imposed by the government in solidarity with the Jain fasting period.

Verus partner Charles De Souza and associate Mahima Sinha instructed advocate Zubin Behramkamdin, who acted for the Bombay Mutton Dealer Association (BMDA) in its Bombay high court challenge to the meat ban that was imposed by the state government and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) on 10, 13, 17 and 18 September.

Senior advocate Anil Singh was briefed by advocate JS Saluja for the Maharashtra government and senior advocate NV Walawalker was briefed by advocate Geeta Joglekar for the MMC They had issued a circular on 1 September declaring the ban and the closure of one of Asia’s largest slaughterhouses – the Deonar Abbatoir – on the dates of the ban.

The Poultry Breeders Welfare Associate also intervened through senior advocate Vikram Nankani briefed by advocate Ishwar Nankani and Nankani & Associates advocates Huzefa Khokhawala and Gauri Rege.

BMDA’s writ, which was filed on 9 September, was initially assigned to justices AS Oka and VL Achliya, but Justice Achliya recused himself from the case. It was then assigned to a bench of justices AV Mohta and AA Sayed and heard on the evening of 9 September, on the morning of 10 September and throughout the day on 11 September, Verus told Legally India in an email.

On 11 September the MMC informed the court that it was withdrawing its notification banning meat in Mumbai on 13 and 18 September. Against the 17 September meat ban, which was imposed not by the MMC but the state government, Verus won a stay.

Licenced meat shops in municipal and private markets

However, the slaughterhouse at Deonar will remain shut on 17 September.

The court admitted the BMDA’s challenge and formulated the issues arising in the case, for arguments at the next hearing, however the full text of this order is not yet available.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government, though did not impose a ban but had appealed to slaughterhouses to remain closed for nine days starting 11 September on the account of Paryushan Parva of the Jain community, reported the *Indian Express.