CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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Reduce sacrificial animals: CJ tells M’waran Kovil
Chief Justice Mohan Peiris yesterday advised the Munneswaram Badra Kali Amman Kovil trustees to reduce the number of animals that are sacrificed at its annual festival and that it should be done in a more scientific way.He told them the numbers could be reduced from the 300 to 400 animals sacrificed annually.
The CJ said he was not going to stop their rituals which had been practiced for more than 100 years and asked all those concerned arrive at a compromise.
He said the animal sacrifice must be regularised and supervised by Public Health Inspectors.
Counsel for the Trustees said the animals that are sacrificed were consumed by the devotees.
Taking into account that the annual festival was scheduled to be celebrated on August 24, the CJ asked the parties to submit their written submission within a week.
Manohara de Silva appearing for animal rights’ activists said his clients were not amenable to the killing of animals but that he would assist court to resolve this matter amicably and should be applied countrywide. The matter was fixed for mention on July 30.
On July 2, the trustees filed their proposals for a self-regulatory mechanism in respect of annual animal sacrifices.
The Bench comprised Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, Justices Priyasath Dep and Rohini Marasinghe.
President’s Counsel A.R. Surendran submitted the proposal for a self-regulatory mechanism on behalf of the trustees.
According to the proposal, a temporary enclosed shelter would be erected during the festival to keep the animals offered by the devotees at the annual ‘Velvi’ festival.
Other aspects of the proposals are: An enclosed passage would be provided linking the enclosed shelter and the three temporary sheds to be erected; there will be adequate space between three shelters; the festival would be conducted in a manner that would avoid any viewing of the sacrifice by the devotees and the worshippers; the enclosed shelters would ensure that the animals are kept out of public view; only one animal at a time would be taken into the sheds for sacrifice; and the cleaning of the sheds after the ‘Velvi’ sacrifice of each animal would be carried out to ensure that carcasses are not left behind when the next animal is brought into the shed.
The trustees filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal judgment preventing animal sacrifices at any religious places of worship violating the law of the country delivered in respect of a writ application filed against the Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil in Munneswaram, Chilaw.
Court of Appeal in its judgment on August 29 also directed that it was compulsory to obtain a license to carry out animal sacrifices at any religious places of worship.
It was observed that in the animal sacrifices at the Sri Bhadrakali Kovil, Munneswaram, the Butchers Ordinance and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were violated and directed the relevant authorities and police to prevent unlawful animal slaughter violating these ordinances.
Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil trustees M. Kanagaratnam, Kalimuttu Shivapakyasuntheram and Mahendra Samy filed application for special leave to appeal against the judgment.
They cited Sri Bodhiraja Foundation, Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya, Dharmavijaya Foundation President Olcott Gunasekera, Ven. Bandirippuwe Vineetha Thero, Animal Welfare Trust Chairman Iranganie de Silva and its trustee Visakha Tillekaratne, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Association Vice President Lorraine Marguerite Bartholomeusz, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Secretary Sharmini Desiree Ratnayake, Sathva Mithra President Sagarica Rajakarunanayake and five others as respondents.
The IGP, Puttalam DIG, Chilaw SSP, Chilaw Police OIC, Chilaw UC, its Chairman, as well as All Ceylon Hindu Congress President and the Attorney General were also cited as respondents.
President’s Counsel A.R. Surendran, K.V.S. Ganesharajah, K. Kandeepan and Jude Dinesh instructed by Moahan Balendra appeared for the Petitioners. Manohara de Silva PC appeared for the respondents. (S.S. Selvanayagam)
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