Stray Cattle Menace: CS seeks exemption from contempt proceedings in Gujarat HC

Ahmedabad: The Chief Secretary has formally requested exemption from ongoing contempt proceedings related to the failure to implement the directives of the Gujarat High Court aimed at addressing the issue of the stray cattle menace, a matter that has been ongoing for four years.

In his application, Chief Secretary Raj Kumar has requested the High Court to excuse him from appearing in person and submitting affidavits as part of the proceedings. Instead, he has requested that the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development & Urban Housing Department be granted permission to submit affidavits regarding the implementation of the ‘Policy for Prevention and Regulation of the Stray Cattle Menace, 2023.’

The Chief Secretary has stated that the Urban Development Department established this policy in August, and circulars and guidelines have been rapidly disseminated for its strict enforcement.

To support his request for exemption, the CS submitted that the responsibility for implementing the policy lies with local bodies such as municipal corporations and nagarpalikas, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Urban Development Department. He has emphasized that he, as the Chief Secretary, oversees all state government departments, each of which has a secretary/principal secretary/additional chief secretary responsible for ensuring smooth administration and policy implementation. This demonstrates that the secretary of the relevant department could replace him in the contempt proceedings.

Since 2019, the High Court has been addressing contempt of court proceedings due to the lack of enforcement of its directives aimed at mitigating the issue of stray cattle, improving traffic flow in Ahmedabad, and ensuring the proper maintenance of roads. DeshGujarat