Mumbai, Aug 17: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Thursday decided to halt online process to grant permission for goat slaughter on the occasion of Bakra Eid or Eid-ul-Adha after the Bombay High Court was informed that two fictitious applicant - Neil Armstrong and Shaun Vaz - obtained permission for goat slaughter in the same courtroom where the hearing was taking place.

The High Court was hearing a petition challenging BMC's decision to grant online permissions for animal slaughter outside slaughterhouses. During the hearing, the court was shown how the online system was granting permission without proper verfication. Fictious people by the name Neil Armstrong and Shaun Vaz obtained permission for goat slaughter, the court was informed.

Following the shocking revelation, the court observed that the BMC’s new online system for goat slaughter was ‘ridiculous'. Advocate Sujay Kantawalla, appearing for Jiv Maitri Trust that filed the petition, the newly introduced online system was approving applications with ‘no application of mind whatsoever’.

Kantawalla produced copies of two permissions which are taken on record. One granted on Thursday to ‘Neil Armstrong permitting him to slaughter five goats in room number 13 of this court and another granted to Shaun Vaz to slaughter five goats in room number 13, reported Times of India.

Kantawalla asked the court to abolish the system and make slaughtering for Bakra Eid outside Deonar abattoir as illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules. However, the BMC lawyer counter-argued that the petition was filed belatedly and the civic body permits slaugtering of goats for Bakra Eid outside the abattoir only in ‘confined spaces, not visible to others'.

The High Court directed the BMC to file its reply by Saturday and adjourned the matter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2018 04:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).