Ban cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu with immediate effect, Madras High Court has ordered

Representative file image. | Photo credit: M. Srinath

The Madras High Court on Wednesday (May 27, 2026) directed the Tamil Nadu government to impose an immediate ban on cow slaughter across the state by implementing the Government Order (GO) issued on August 30, 1976 banning cow slaughter for milk production and rural economic improvement.

A bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and V. Lakshminarayanan directed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police/Head of Police Force (DGP/HoPF) during the summer vacation to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered anywhere in Tamil Nadu either on the eve of Bakrid on Thursday (May 28, 2026) or on any other day.

Both the officers were directed to issue appropriate instructions to their subordinates across the state to ensure that there is no violation of the court order. The judges further directed the High Court Registry to list the matter again on Friday (May 29, 2026) for the government to announce compliance.

They also found that a perusal of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023 makes it clear that the government officials concerned should not permit the slaughter of any other animal such as goats and sheep at any place other than designated abattoirs having a valid license.

The orders were passed while allowing a public interest litigation filed by K. Surya alias K. Surya Prasanth (29), secretary of the youth wing of the Indu Makkal Katchi. The petitioner complained about the temporary sheds erected at many places in Coimbatore for cow slaughter during the Bakrid.

While writing the verdict, Justice Swaminathan emphasized that Article 48 of the Constitution requires the state to take steps to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves and other milk as well as draft cattle. Even during the debates in the Constituent Assembly, it was emphasized that the cow was a revered animal and that it had been associated with our civilization since the time of Lord Krishna.

“Cow protection was an issue so dear to Mahatma Gandhi. Eminent scholar Shri Dharampal pointed out that cows were killed in very large numbers only to meet the dietary requirements of the colonial army. After India gained independence, several states enacted laws and these laws were also upheld by the courts,” the judge said.

Justice Swaminathan further stated that many Muslim kings during their rule in the past abolished cow slaughter, also citing the Supreme Court that not all Muslims sacrifice cows on Bakrid day. Sacrificing a cow on Bakrid was not an obligatory overt act for a person following Islam to show his religious belief and thought.

After referring to the apex court’s verdicts on the matter and taking into consideration the 1976 N.V. issued to ban cow slaughter, the judge wrote, “Since the executive power is coextensive with the legislative power, the government order issued by the government prohibiting cow slaughter is highly sustainable and must be enforced as it has the force of law.”

Published – 27 May 2026 22:11 IST