Kerala HC responds to the “desperate purr of three felines"

Kerala High Court on Tuesday responded to “desperate purrs of three felines” whose owner Mr N. Prakash from Kerala h approached Court alleging that he was denied a vehicle pass to venture out and purchase “Meo-Persian” biscuits for his cats. Mr Prakash told Kerala High Court via video conferencing that being a pure vegetarian himself, he h never cooked n-vegetarian food in his house and that his cats cant do without ir Meo-Persian biscuits.

'Animals to have right to life under Article 21'

closest place for him to purchase biscuits, Cochin Pet Hospital, was a considerable distance away from his house and he stated that he would make one trip to store to buy 7-kgs of biscuits which will see his cats through rest of lockdown period. Mr Prakash argued that in accordance with earlier Supreme Court judgements, animals too h a fundamental right to life under Article 21 and refore, police cant deny him permission to buy food for his cats.

RE | MCGM Instructs Shops In Bandra To Remain Open On Odd-Even Dates; Chemists Excluded

He furr substantiated his stand saying that Ministry of Home Affairs h included “animal feed and fodder” as “essential items” in ir tification.

Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P. Chaly of Kerala High Court today recognised right of Prakash to buy biscuits for his cats while stating, “Over last seven deces of working our democratic Constitution, we have focused primarily on rights available to our citizens. We have conveniently forgotten that human species is t alone on this planet and that re are or claimants to bounty that nature has to offer.”

RE | Mumbai Cops Identify 10 Markaz Attendees Who Briefly Stayed In Dharavi & Left For Kerala

Moreover, Kerala High Court went on to say that in accordance with Supreme Court judgment from 2014 in case of Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja, Supreme Court h manifested a shift in judicial thinking, from one of merely safeguarding animal welfare to recognising right and dignity of animals to live lives free from cruelty. On a lighter te, judges ended ir judgment stating that ir directions will certainly help avert a “CATastrophe” in Mr Prakash’s home.

RE | Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Centre Mulls Extending Lockdown Post-April 14; Cases At 4421

RE | Centre Mulls Extending 21-day COVID-19 Lockdown Post-April 14 After States Demand: Sources