The Supreme Court paused the Madras High Court’s order for an immediate statewide ban on cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta stayed the High Court’s judgment following a Special Leave Petition by the Tamil Nadu government. The apex court noted the need for corrections before enforcing the ban.
The Madras High Court’s May 27 ruling directed officials to prevent cow and calf slaughter during Bakrid and beyond. Tamil Nadu’s government challenged this decision, arguing it exceeded the state’s animal slaughter regulations. The state cited laws like the Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958, and other relevant statutes.
The High Court’s order stemmed from a PIL seeking to restrict slaughter to designated facilities but expanded to a blanket ban. The court referenced Article 48 of the Constitution, emphasizing the prohibition of cow slaughter. It also upheld a 1976 Government Order banning cow and heifer slaughter in Tamil Nadu. The court mandated that slaughter should only occur in approved slaughterhouses.
