An order enforcing a decades-old ban on the sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir, which had sparked protests in the state, has been suspended by the Supreme Court for two months.
The Jammu bench of the state High Court had last month directed the police to enforce an old law banning the slaughter and sale of beef in the state. A week later, the high court’s Srinagar bench issued notice to the state on a petition that asked for the ban to be cancelled.
The Supreme Court today asked the Chief Justice of the high court to set up a three-judge bench to go through the issue and find a solution at the earliest.
“We have two conflicting orders and it is required to be solved by the Chief Justice of high court by constituting a three judge bench,” said the Chief Justice of India.
The state government had moved the Supreme Court seeking clarity. “The high court’s two conflicting orders have grave ramifications for the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir as the orders are being misused and interpreted in a manner so as to disturb peace in the state,” the government said.
The order asking the police to enforce the beef ban led to fierce protests in the state and forced a three-day internet shutdown during the Eid festival.
