May 30, 2017: Amidst country wide debate, the Madurai bench of Madras high court stayed the notification banning sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter for four weeks. News agencies mentioned, a division bench comprising Justices M V Muralidharan and C V Karthikeyan, in its interim order, directed the central government to file its counter in four weeks.
The court ordered notices to the Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Union Home Secretary, Chief and Home Secretaries of Tamil Nadu directing them to file their replies within four weeks.
The petitioners sought an interim stay of the operation of Rule 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Regulations of Livestock Markets- Rules notified by the Central government on 23rd of this month. Petitioners that prohibiting the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets amounted to interfering with the right to livelihood of farmers and cattle traders.
