Thu Aug 21 01:50:26 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Bombay High Court has refused to grant immediate relief to Jain charitable trusts seeking a nine-day closure of slaughterhouses in Mumbai during Paryushan Parv. The court stated that it respects the sentiments of the Jain community but cannot enforce such a closure without a legal mandate. The trusts argued that animal slaughter during this sacred period violates their religious freedom, citing the Supreme Court’s precedent in the Hinsa Virodhak Sangh case. The BMC countered that a nine-day shutdown would disrupt meat supply and that it already mandates 16 annual closure days for religious festivals. The court advised the petitioners to challenge the BMC’s order directly and adjourned the matter for two weeks.
**News Article:**
**Bombay High Court Denies Urgent Relief for Slaughterhouse Closures During Jain Festival**
**Mumbai, August 21, 2025** – The Bombay High Court has declined to grant an immediate injunction sought by several Jain charitable trusts to shut down slaughterhouses in Mumbai for nine days during the ongoing Paryushan Parv festival. The court, while acknowledging the religious sensitivities of the Jain community, ruled that it lacked the legal basis to order such a sweeping closure.
The petitioners, including Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities and others, argued that the slaughter of animals during Paryushan, a period of fasting and non-violence, deeply offends their religious beliefs and violates their constitutional rights. They cited a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that upheld a similar closure in Ahmedabad, arguing that Mumbai’s higher Jain population (5.38%) warranted the same consideration.
However, Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne emphasized that the Ahmedabad case involved a municipal decision to impose the ban, whereas in Mumbai, no such legislative or regulatory mandate exists. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had previously authorized slaughterhouse closures only on August 24th and 27th (Ganesh Chaturthi).
The BMC argued that a nine-day shutdown would severely disrupt meat supplies for Mumbai and the wider metropolitan region. They also pointed out that the state government already designates 16 days annually for religious holidays that necessitate slaughterhouse closures.
The petitioners’ counsel argued that the BMC had incorrectly considered the total population of Mumbai rather than comparing the Jain population to the non-vegetarian population. They further invoked historical precedent, noting Emperor Akbar’s six-month ban on meat consumption in Gujarat.
The High Court advised the petitioners to amend their plea to directly challenge the BMC’s August 14th order. The court issued a notice to the BMC and adjourned the matter for further hearing in two weeks.
First Piper 