Supreme Court has suspended a law that would have banned the sale of cattle for slaughter nationwide.
The government order aimed to “prevent uncontrolled and unregulated animal trade” at livestock markets.
For the first time the sale for slaughter of buffaloes and camels as well as cows, which Hindus consider holy, would have been illegal.
These orders staying the new ‘no slaughter’ regulations give some reprieve to butchers’ business across the country. Meat suppliers had already planned to petition the Supreme Court about the huge setback to their businesses with the new Central rules.
On May 23, the Centre had issued new rules banning the sales of cattle for slaughter.
Earlier, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had stayed the Centre’s notification on cattle slaughter ban while the Kerala High Court refused to order a stay on it.
To clear the confusion surrounding the conflicting orders, the Supreme Court today said that Madras High Court’s stay on Centre’s notification remains operational.
It’s important to note here that the Supreme Court has not put a stay by itself but in wake of conflicting orders by Madras and Kerala high courts, the position has been clarified.
The Central government on Tuesday took a step back on the issue of ban on sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter from markets by informing the Supreme Court that owing to public objections, it is reconsidering “certain aspects” of its recent rules.
On May 26, 2017, the Environment Ministry issued a notification — Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 — under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
