Gauhati High Court quashes government’s order to ban the sale and consumption of dog meat in Nagaland

Today, a three-year-old Nagaland Government order to ban the sale and consumption of dog meat in the state was quashed by the Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court. In 2020, the Nagaland government issues an order to put a complete ban on the trading of dogs, and the sale of dog meat in dine-in restaurants and markets. The order said, “The prohibition of the sale and consumption of dog meat by the Executive branch of the Government, without there being any law passed by the legislation in relation to trade and consumption of dog meat is liable thus to be set aside even though the impugned notification dated 04.07.2020 is said to have been passed in accordance with a Cabinet decision.” The Court further stated that the Food Safety and Standards Act does not mention any power to issue prohibition orders on the basis of which the order to ban dog meat was issued by the government.