Madras High court stays “new cow” regulations

Following a public interest regulation questioning the legality of the new cow slaughter rules passed by the central government by arguing that the protection of livestock is under state government’s jurisdiction, the Madras High court in Madurai on Tuesday stayed the new cow slaughter rules passed by the centre for four weeks.

Slaughter of animals on state list, observe judges

Rules 22(b)(iii) and 22(e) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) Rules 2017 notified by the Centre on May 23^rd were stayed and the judges said: “This court is not in full agreement that a presumption is in favour of the Central Government, when a particular rule is introduced not by Parliament but by the Executive, because the primary aspect that the subject of law under consideration is in the State list.”

“So far as slaughter of animals is concerned, it is exclusively in the State list. In the above background, it should be tested whether the impugned rule is within the Constitutional or legal framework and have consideration over and above the State enactments in this secular country,” the judges observed in their order.”