Madras High Court bans cow slaughter across Tamil Nadu

The Madras High Court has issued a sweeping order directing the Tamil Nadu government to enforce a statewide ban on the slaughter of cows and calves, specifically on the eve of the Bakrid festival and on all other days. The court also prohibited animal slaughter in any location other than officially authorized slaughterhouses.

A vacation bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and V. Lakshminarayanan issued the directive on Wednesday while hearing a public interest litigation. The petition was filed by K. Surya Prasanth, general secretary of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, who alleged illegal plans for cow slaughter in public places in Coimbatore, including areas like Ukkadam and Selvapuram. The petitioner stated that despite complaints to local police, no preventive action had been taken.

The court strongly objected to a police counter-affidavit which indicated that temporary locations had been designated for slaughter. The bench clarified that police lack the statutory authority to create such slaughter zones, a power that rests exclusively with municipal bodies under urban local body regulations. It emphasized that animal slaughter cannot occur on open roads, residential streets, or in...