Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland don't have any law for banning cow slaughter

NEW DELHI: Five states including Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh and the union territory of Lakshadweep do not have any law for banning cow slaughter, Parliament was informed today.

Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are the other three states that do not have such law, according to the details furnished by the Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundariya in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

There are 24 States and 5 UTs that have legislation on banning or restricting slaughter of cow and its progeny.

"Under the distribution of legislative powers between the Union of India and States under Article 246 (3) of the Constitution, the preservation of cattle is matter on which the legislature of the states has exclusive powers to legislate," the Minister said.

Kundariya also informed that "the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995 has been assented by the Union of India and the same has already been conveyed to the State government of Maharashtra."

The Centre's approval to the amendment bill empowered the Maharashtra government to ban cow slaughter in the state.