SC stays Madras HC order directing TN govt to ensure ban on cow slaughter in state

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Madras High Court order which directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in the state. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while hearing a plea filed by the state government challenging a May 27 order of the high court. The state government termed the order contrary to the Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958. The Act permits the slaughter of cows aged over 10 years that are unfit for work and breeding, on the basis of a certificate issued by a competent authority. The apex court agreed to hear the matter and issued notice to the respondents, including the one on whose plea the high court had passed the order, seeking their replies. During the hearing, the bench orally observed that the last paragraph of the high court order prima facie required correction. In that paragraph, the high court had said, "We allow this writ petition with a direction to the state of Tamil Nadu to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered on the eve of Bakrid or on any other day." The high court had also said that authorities, particularly the chief secretary and the additional director general of police (law and order), are obliged to issue suitable instructions to all officials concerned to ensure that there is no breach of this order. The top court has posted the matter for hearing after four weeks. The Tamil Nadu government challenged the May 27 order of the high court, which directed the state authorities to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in the state either on the eve of Bakrid on May 28 this year or on any other day. The high court had passed the order on a plea seeking directions that slaughter be carried out at designated places only. PTI ABA RT