PIL in SC Seeks India-Wide Ban on Halal Products

Advocate Vibhor Anand stated that he is filing the PIL on behalf of “85% Citizens of the Country” upon whom Halal products are being allegedly forced.

SRINAGAR — A Public Interest Litigation petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking a country-wide ban on Halal-certified products and withdrawal of Halal certification, Livelaw reported.

Quoting the petitioner, the report said Advocate Vibhor Anand stated that he is filing the PIL on behalf of “85% Citizens of the Country” upon whom Halal products are being allegedly forced.

“Only because the Muslim minority, which is 15% of the population, wants to consume ‘Halal’ food, it is being forced upon the rest 85% of the people,” the petition states, as per Livelaw.

The report quoting the petitioner further said this results in the violation of the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.“

The present petition is being filed by the petitioner on behalf of 85% of Citizens of the country for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights provided under Article 14, 21 of the Constitution of India as the same are being infringed and violated. It is being seen that for the sake of 15% of the population, rest 85% people are being forced to consume the Halal Products against their will”. It is said that the process of Halal certification started in India in 1974, the report said.

Though it was confined to meat products initially, it later expanded to other products including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, health products, toiletries and medical devices.“ Today, it even includes halal-friendly tourism, medical tourism, warehouse certification, restaurant certification and training among others in the ever-expanding list. It is even permeating into services like logistics, media, branding and marketing,” the plea states, as per Livelaw.

The writ petition filed through Advocate Ravi Kumar Tomar has sought directions to the Govt of India to declare all the Halal certificates issued by the respondents including Jamiat Ulama-E-Maharashtra, Halal Certification Services India Private Limited, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust and Halal India Private Limited right from 1974 as null and void ab initio, and impose a ban on all the products which have been have certified by them, the report added.