SC stays Madras HC’s ban on cow slaughter
The Supreme Court temporarily halted a Madras High Court direction for a statewide ban on cow and calf slaughter in Tamil Nadu.
- The Supreme Court stayed the Madras High Court order to the extent that it required a complete prohibition on cow and calf slaughter in Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu argued that existing laws regulate slaughter conditions rather than impose a blanket ban on cow slaughter.
- The Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958 permits the slaughter of cows over 10 years old if a competent authority certifies that the animal is unfit for work or breeding.
What happened
The Supreme Court stayed a Madras High Court order that had directed Tamil Nadu to enforce a statewide prohibition on the slaughter of cows and calves. The Supreme Court issued notice on Tamil Nadu’s appeal and stayed the ban to the extent that it required a complete prohibition.
Tamil Nadu argued that the High Court’s direction went beyond the existing legal framework and amounted to judicial lawmaking. The State said the applicable law regulates slaughter conditions rather than imposing a blanket ban.
UPSC may test whether a court can expand statutory regulation into a total prohibition, and how judicial orders interact with State legislation, administrative enforcement, and individual rights related to food and religion.
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