Uttarakhand High Court Becomes Legal Guardian Of Cows, Asks State Government To Ensure They Aren’t Slaughtered 

The Uttarakhand High Court invoked the ‘parens patriae’ clause to become the legal guardian of all the bovine in the state, Times of India has reported. The report claims that the High Court took this step for the welfare of cows and other stray cattle in the state.

This as per reports is the first time a High Court has invoked the ‘parens patriae’ clause for cow protection.

The court delivered this order on 10 August, but a certified copy was only made available on Monday.

As per the report, a division bench of acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari cited various documents including Supreme Court judgements and religious scriptures to stress the importance of caring for animals.

In the ruling, the court directed the state government to ensure a statewide ban on the slaughter of any cows or bovines. It also directed that the sale of beef or its products also be strictly banned.

The court also directed all civic bodies in the state to construct gaushalas (cow shelters) within a year. On the same note, it ruled that these cow shelters won’t have to pay commercial charges for electricity and water supply.

Further, the court directed that a special squad headed by deputy superintendent of police or someone more senior be formed to protect the cows.