Supreme Court stays Madras High Court cow slaughter ban

The Supreme Court on Monday, July 13, 2026, stayed a Madras High Court order that had directed the Tamil Nadu government to impose a complete ban on the slaughter of cows and calves across the state. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, issued notice on the state government's appeal and granted an interim stay, halting the High Court's directive pending further proceedings.

The legal dispute stems from a May 27 order by a Madras High Court division bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and V. Lakshminarayanan. That order had directed the state's Chief Secretary and police chief to ensure no cow or calf was slaughtered anywhere in Tamil Nadu, either on the eve of the Bakrid festival on May 28 or on any subsequent day. The High Court had issued the directive while hearing a public interest litigation filed by K. Surya Prasanth, a political youth wing secretary, who alleged that local authorities were permitting cow slaughter in non-designated areas ahead of the festival.

In its challenge before the Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu government argued that the High Court's blanket prohibition contradicted existing state law, specifically the Tamil...