Animal Cruelty | Gujarat High Court Asks State To Explain Inaction Over Proposed Amendment To Ban Rat Glue Traps

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday (March 18) directed the State home department's Principal Secretary to file a personal affidavit explaining inaction for over 7.5 months regarding proposed amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act prohibiting sale, manufacture and use of glue trap method to catch rodents.

The court was hearing a PIL seeking to prohibit the usage of glue trap method to catch rodents which causes unnecessary pain and sufferings to the animals.

On Monday the court, after noting that no response had been received from the State over the status of the proposal, had directed the matter be brought to notice of the  Advocate General. The court had further directed the Principal Secretary, Home department to file personal affidavit to bring on record progress in the matter. 

At the outset today, a division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice DN Ray was informed by the Assistant Government Pleader that in compliance of order dated 16-3-2026, the same was brought to the notice of Advocate General and appropriate instructions have been received from the concerned officer. 

The counsel submitted that instructions received were, that the proposal is at the stage of inter-departmental discussions. 

The court thereafter in its order dictated: 

"Today when the matter was taken up, it was communicated to us by Assistant Government Pleader for State respondent that upon instructions received by her the proposal for bringing out state amendment in the prevention of cruelty to animals act, 1960 to impose upon the bank on manufacturing, sale and usage of glue trap for animals, insects, rodents etc., as proposed on 16-7-2025 is still at the stage of inter departmental discussion/deliberations. We may note that the same stage was reported to us as noted in the order dated 1-8-2025 when the proposal was forwarded to the home department after eval by industries and mines department. 

This shows that there has been no progress in the matter for a period of more than seven and a half months. In continuation of the order dated 16-3-2026 we direct the Principal Secretary, home department to file his personal affidavit to explain why there has been inaction in the matter for such a long time when statement was made before us in the affidavit dated 18-7-2025 that proposal received by home department will be evaluated to be forwarded to legislative and parliamentary affairs department for taking appropriate action to bring the amendments"

The matter is posted on March 27. 

For context the high court had in its 01-08-2025 order noted that the affidavit of the Principal Secretary, Home Department which had stated that in a joint departmental meeting of the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department, Industries and Mines Department and Home Department it was decided that as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act being a Central Legislation, in order to prohibit the manufacturing, using and selling of glue traps for capturing rodents and other small animals, a State amendment would be required.

The court in its order noted that a proposed State Amendment dated 16.07.2025 had thus been forwarded by the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department to the Industries and Mines Department wherein while prohibiting manufacture, sale and use of glue traps, punishment under Section 325 BNS has also been proposed.

The AGP had then submitted that as per instructions, the proposal has now been forwarded to the Home Department after evaluation by the Industries and Mines Department; it was submitted that it would be further forwarded to the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Department for taking appropriate action to bring the amendments, in its application to the State.

The court had thus posted the matter to 12.09.2025 for the State to bring on record the progress made by way of an affidavit of a gazetted officer. Thereafter, the court in its 12-09-2025 had further granted time to the State for compliance of its 01.08.2025 order.

Case title: NARENDRASINH CHHTRASINH RANA v/s UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

R/WPPIL/28/2024