New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister Vijay has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Madras High Court order that imposed a blanket ban on the slaughter of cows and calves across the state, setting off a political and legal debate over the issue.
In its appeal, the state government argued that the High Court’s ruling is inconsistent with the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958. According to the law, cows above the age of ten years that are certified as unfit for work or breeding may be slaughtered under prescribed conditions. The government contended that the court order effectively replaced this framework with a complete prohibition that is not provided for under the legislation.
The state further maintained that the original petition before the High Court was limited to preventing animal slaughter in public places during Bakrid celebrations in Coimbatore. However, the final order extended far beyond the scope of the petition by directing authorities to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves throughout Tamil Nadu at all times.
The ruling has implications extending beyond the Bakrid festival. Animal sacrifices carried out during religious gatherings and private ceremonies have traditionally taken place under local regulations, while several temples in the state also conduct ritual sacrifices as part of annual festivities.
Community representatives have argued that restricting such practices exclusively to licensed slaughterhouses would create practical difficulties, particularly during festival periods when facilities often operate at full capacity.
The opposition criticised the state government for taking time to challenge the order, while religious and political leaders expressed concerns that the judgment interferes with constitutionally protected religious practices.
The Tamil Nadu government has maintained that existing laws already regulate the conditions and locations for animal slaughter and that the court’s directive amounts to imposing a new legal framework rather than enforcing the one currently in place.
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