Madras HC directs Tamil Nadu govt to prevent cow slaughter, enforce 1976 ban
The court directed the state govt to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in the state and ordered strict enforcement of the 1976 government order banning cow slaughter
The Madras High Court on Wednesday (May 27) directed the Tamil Nadu government to make sure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in the state on the eve of Bakrid or on any other day, by strictly enforcing the government order issued on August 30, 1976, which prohibits cow slaughter in the interest of milk production and the rural economy.
A bench comprising Justices G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan also instructed the Chief Secretary and the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to issue appropriate directions to all concerned officials to ensure there is no violation of the order.
“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 court said in its order, according to Bar and Bench.
Court issues slaughter directions
The order came on a public interest litigation petition filed by Coimbatore resident K Surya alias K Surya Prasanth, who sought directions to stop the slaughter of cows in public places.
The bench further said that authorities cannot allow the slaughter of any animal anywhere other than designated slaughterhouses.
The court also expressed strong displeasure over the stand taken in the counter-affidavit filed by the inspector of police attached to the D2 Selvapuram Police Station in Coimbatore. The affidavit had stated that certain temporary locations had been identified for cow slaughter.
HC flags illegal slaughter sites
Objecting to this, the bench questioned how temporary sheds could be considered legal slaughtering places. The petitioner had earlier submitted a representation to the authorities requesting steps to prevent cow slaughter during Bakrid. Since no action was taken, he approached the High Court.
The court referred to an earlier Division Bench order passed on July 30, 2020, along with the 1976 order issued by the Tamil Nadu government on cow slaughter.
It clarified that the law does not completely prohibit cow slaughter in all circumstances. However, the bench said that cow slaughter cannot be permitted unless the conditions laid down under the relevant law are fulfilled.