On Wednesday, the Gauhati High Court (GHC) delivered a split verdict regarding the sale of dog meat in Nagaland. The division bench addressed two writ petitions: one from People For Animals (PFA) and Humane Society International/India, and another from Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh. The petitions challenged a June 2023 ruling that quashed the Nagaland government's July 2020 order aimed at banning the commercial import, trading, and sale of dog meat. Justice Budi Habung dismissed the plea, stating it lacked merit and upheld the sale of dog meat, while Justice Robin Phukan allowed the writ appeals, opposing the earlier ruling. The Nagaland cabinet had initially decided to ban dog meat sales in 2020, which was met with mixed reactions from the local population, as dog meat is considered a delicacy by some communities. The court's decision follows a previous ruling in June 2023, where it was determined that the chief secretary of Nagaland lacked the authority to issue the ban under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, which designates a commissioner of food safety for such matters.