Severely criticising the Centre and the Delhi government for "playing vote bank politics" on shifting Idgah abattoir to Ghazipur, the Supreme Court on Friday asked as to why they were "sleeping" over the threat the slaughter house would pose to a nearby airbase if moved to Ghazipur.

This observation came from a Bench comprising Justice N Santosh Hegde, Justice S B Sinha and Justice A K Mathur on an application filed by the Centre, saying that relocating the abattoir at Ghazipur posed a security threat to the
Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The Bench directed Union urban development secretary and the chief secretary of Delhi government to be present before the Court on November 17 to explain as to what took the authorities such a long time to realise the "security threat" even though the orders for relocating the slaughter house were passed almost a year back.

The Bench also sought explanation as to who would compensate the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which has already spent crores of rupees in building an ultra-modern slaughter house at Ghazipur.

Pointing out recent media reports over protests and activities resorted to by leaders of political parties on the issue, the Bench observed that "vote bank" politics is being resorted to fan the controversy. "The Centre and state governments are making a mockery of court orders," it said.