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New Delhi : The Supreme Court has put a stay on the Madras High Court’s order that directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure a complete ban on the slaughter of cows and calves in the state, including on Bakrid and other days. The decision came after the Tamil Nadu government challenged the High Court’s directive before the apex court.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the state government’s plea and issued a notice while staying the High Court’s order until further proceedings. With the Supreme Court’s latest direction, the earlier blanket ban issued by the Madras High Court will not remain operational for now.T
he Tamil Nadu government argued before the Supreme Court that the original petition was limited to allegations of cow and calf slaughter outside authorised slaughterhouses during Bakrid.
The state claimed that the Madras High Court’s division bench had gone beyond the scope of the petition by extending the order to impose a complete ban across Tamil Nadu.
The government further argued that existing state laws regulate cattle slaughter and that there is no legal prohibition on slaughtering cattle above a certain age under the applicable regulations.
Earlier, on May 27, the Madras High Court had directed the state government to prevent the slaughter of cows and calves on Bakrid as well as on any other day, referring to Article 48 of the Constitution and Tamil Nadu’s cattle slaughter prevention laws.
The Supreme Court’s stay has now temporarily halted the implementation of that order. The apex court will examine whether the High Court’s directive was legally and constitutionally valid during the next stages of the hearing. The final outcome of the case will determine the future course of cattle slaughter regulations in Tamil Nadu.
