KARNATAKA’S NEW ANTI-COW SLAUGHTER BILL

Subject : Polity

Context : Karnataka government passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill (2020) in the Assembly amid strong opposition.

Concept :

• The Bill envisages a ban on all forms of cattle slaughter and stringent punishment for offenders.
• While ‘beef’ is defined as the flesh of cattle in any form, the word ‘cattle’ is defined as “cow, calf of a cow and bull, bullock, and he or she buffalo below the age of thirteen years”.
• The Bill also terms shelters established for the protection and preservation of cattle registered with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries as ‘gau shalas’.
• Police officers ranked sub-inspector and above or a competent authority will have the power to search premises and seize cattle and materials used or intended to use to commit the offence.
• Terming cow slaughter as a cognizable offence, violators can attract three to seven years of imprisonment. While a penalty between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh can be levied for the first offence, second and subsequent offences can attract penalties ranging between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.