Shun cruelty, animals too have right to life: Punjab and Haryana High Court

Saurabh Malik

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Chandigarh, February 12

In a significant judgment liable to change the way cases involving cruelty to animals are dealt with, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that they too have a right to life, bodily integrity, honour and dignity. The Bench also made it clear that the animals could not be treated merely as a property.

The assertion came as the Bench refused to quash an FIR registered against a bus driver, following a buffalo’s death, merely on the basis of a compromise with its owner. Recognising their ability to experience emotions and equating their basic needs with those of humans, Justice Harsh Bunger of the high court also emphasised that the animals, though mute, deserved protection, and society had a moral obligation to speak on their behalf.

“Cruelty to animals also causes psychological pain to them. Animals breathe like humans and have emotions. They require food, water, shelter, normal behaviour, medical care and self-determination,” Justice Bunger asserted.

The ruling came on a petition seeking the quashing of an FIR registered on October 31, 2016, for driving a vehicle in a negligent manner and another offence under Sections 279 and 429 of the IPC at Dirba police station in Sangrur district.

Justice Bunger’s Bench was told that the petitioner was allegedly driving a bus recklessly at a high speed, resulting in a collision with buffaloes/calves. The accident led to the death of a buffalo and injury to another.

Appearing before the Bench, the petitioner’s counsel argued for the quashing of the FIR on the grounds that he had entered into a compromise with the buffaloes’ owner. Justice Bunger emphasised the larger issue at hand was the rights of animals. He observed the court did not find any merit in the petition and the same was rejected.