A day before Bakrid, the Madras High Court on Wednesday, May 27, directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in the State on the eve of the festival or on any other day.
The bench of Justice G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan issued these directions following a writ petition filed by K Surya, a resident of Coimbatore, who is reportedly an activist.
Surya had petitioned before the court complaining that the cows and calves are being slaughtered in places other than slaughter houses for Bakrid.
In its order Justice Swaminathan reiterated Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958 and several other Supreme Court judgements like Mohammed Hanif Quareshi vs State of Bihar, State of West Bengal vs Ashutosh Lahiri, and State of Gujarat vs Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat) said that “no cow can be slaughtered unless it is over 10 years of age and is unfit for work and breeding. Or it should have become permanently incapacitated for work or breeding due to injury, deformity or any incurable disease.”
The law says that animals meant for slaughter should be given a certificate issued by the competent authority confirming that the animal is unfit for work or breeding.
Citing the SC verdict in the State of West Bengal vs Ashutosh Lahiri case, Justice Swaminathan said that slaughtering of cows on Bakird is “neither essential to nor necessarily required as part of the religious ceremony.”
Finally, the Court said that authorities cannot permit slaughter of any animal in a place other than designated slaughter houses.
“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 order read.
The court issued orders to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the AdditionalDirector General of Police (Law and Order) directing them to issue instructions to all the officials concerned to ensure that there is no breach of the order.