Protest Using Animals Would Amount To 'Animal Cruelty': Madras High Court

The bench of Justice Sathish Kumar observed that keeping the animal at the place from morning to evening cannot be permitted as it would amount to cruelty and would be in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.

At the outset, this Court is of the view that to make such democratic protest, animals need not be subjected to cruelty. Therefore, the prayer as sought for by the petitioner to take buffalo or any other animal and keep them from morning to evening cannot be permitted. Such act itself would amount to cruelty of the animals and violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The petitioner had challenged the order passed by the Inspector of Police and sought permission to conduct a protest with microphone by giving petition to buffalo. The court opined that the prayer sought for the petitioner was negatived.

When the counsel for the petitioner sought permission for conducting a democratic protest without using any animals, the court directed the respondent police to consider the representation and grant permission by imposing the usual conditions.

Case Title: K Muthu v. The State and another

Case No: W .P.No.21 681 of 2022

Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Mad) 359

Counsel for the Petitioner: Mr.R.Thirumoorthy

Counsel for the Respondent: Mr.E.Raj Thilak Additional Public Prosecutor