Meat ban in Amritsar's Walled City challenged; high court issues notice

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a notice to the Punjab government on a petition challenging the prohibition on the sale of meat, fish, and meat products in the Walled City of Amritsar.A division bench comprising Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Deepak Manchanda, on May 29, issued notice to the state and posted the matter for further consideration on June 22.The order was passed on a plea filed by Kuldeep Fish Company, a wholesaler of fish and raw meat, which moved the court challenging the notification declaring the Walled City of Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo as 'Holy Cities'.The decision has led to a prohibition on the sale and use of meat and meat products within the notified areas. The petitioner told the court that such prohibitions have no statutory backing.It was argued that the state has employed executive power to enforce religious morality despite the Constitution not recognising any religion-based territorial classification.“The respondents have neither defined ‘Holy City’ nor ‘Walled City’, including the jurisdiction and territory to which the same would apply nor disclosed the statutory backing under which the notifications dated December 15, 2025, have been issued," the plea said.The petitioner also argued that the state has not framed any rehabilitation policy for those dependent on the trade.A large number of persons belonging to other communities, as well as tourists, are being deprived of their lawful choice because of the prohibition, it was submitted.“Complete prohibition within the walled city of Amritsar, while permitting the very same activities in other parts of the same city, is wholly irrational, discriminatory, and devoid of any intelligible differentia,” the plea added.