From deciding complex constitutional questions, the top court in the country has now been called on to adjudicate on the issue of cruelty to egg-laying hens in the poultry farm industry.
A petition to this effect was filed in the Supreme Court recently, and on Friday a bench of the court headed by the Chief Justice of India asked the central government to respond to it.
The petition, filed by a government body the Animal Welfare Board submits that the poultry industry follows the practice of keeping hens in in battery cages - (a small cage that houses 5-10 hens). The battery cages offer each bird a highly restrictive space and prevents all forms of natural behavior of the bird.
Animal Welfare Board further argues that the use of battery cages promotes diseases in the birds and subsequently violates provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. The space available to hens in these battery cages is even less than the area of a single sheet of A4 size paper.
The Board had in 2010 written to all state governments recommending that no new battery cages be set up and all existing cages be phased out by 2017. However, no state has taken any step in this direction.
The Animal board while arguing the matter in the court on Friday alleged that states are dragging their feet on the issue because many politicians own poultry farms. And more space for egg laying hens would mean more expense to the poultry farm owners.
The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the issue and has asked central government to explain its six-year silence on the draft rules.
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