SC agrees to hear plea against use of artificial reproductive techniques on animals
Sep 18, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 18 : The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea seeking direction to stop the use of artificial reproductive techniques on animals.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde issued notices on the plea raising the issue of whether artificial reproduction techniques on animals is a violation of fundamental rights.
"We are issuing notice but we may relegate you to a civil suit later," the bench said while initially expressing its reservation on entertaining the plea. But the bench later agreed to hear the plea saying they are not science experts.
During the hearing, the bench asked the petitioner why doesn't he lead evidence in this issue and said, "We are not a scientific court. You should establish this on scientific tenets."
Petitioner Dr S Venkatesh told the court that the artificial reproduction process is painful for animals, to which the CJI replied, "...but childbearing is a painful process, that standard cannot be applied."
The bench also said that it might relegate the petitioner to a civil suit later.
