The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea seeking ban on cow slaughter and the sale of beef in the national capital region, Indian media reported on Friday.

The plea was filed by Swami Satyananda Chakradhari, a man claiming to be a monk.

The plea asked the Delhi government to enact a law similar to the one in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which penalizes the slaughter of bovine animals with 10 years imprisonment and financial penalty.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath rejected the plea on the information by the Delhi government – led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – that a law, the ‘Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act’, already exists to protect cattle.

A counsel for the state government told the court that the petition was a publicity stunt and should be dismissed with exemplary cost.

“The writ petition is misconceived and same is dismissed,” the bench said, taking note of the submissions of Delhi government’s counsel. The court further observed that it cannot issue orders to the state government to enact any laws.