New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office has asked the law ministry to give its views on cow slaughter laws as enacted by some states, including Gujarat, so that the Centre could circulate a model bill among other states for their consideration on the issue.

In its communication to the law ministry, the PMO has referred to a similar provision in the Constitution (Article 48) that provides prohibition of slaughter of cows and milch animals. The letter, sent recently, asked the law ministry to “examine and advice” whether the Acts enacted by some states can be circulated as model bill to other states so that they can “exercise their choice of consideration to introduce similar enactments”.

The PMO letter mentions that in 2005 the Supreme Court had upheld the validity of a law enacted by Gujarat prohibiting cow slaughter. Meanwhile, citing past precedents where laws on various matters were circulated among the states as model bill, sources in the government said there was no bar on the Centre to send such a bill to states. A draft model bill on flood zone protection, conservation and regulation of groundwater are some of the measures that have been sent to states recently.

Various state governments have enacted their own laws based on recommendations sent by the ministry of water resources and Planning Commission. Several states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Gujarat have banned cow slaughter. Maharashtra is the latest state to put in place such a ban.