Tamil Nadu appeals to SC against Madras HC order banning cow slaughter

The May 27 directive directed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police/Superintendent of Police to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in Tamil Nadu. Representative file image. | Photo credit: M. Srinath

The Tamil Nadu government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court for special leave against the Madras High Court’s May 27 order to ban cow slaughter across the state by implementing the August 1976 government order.

The petition was filed by the Secretary to the State Government. K. Surya alias K. Surya Prasanth, secretary of the Indu Makkal Katchi youth wing who had filed the original petition in the Supreme Court, and officials including the Director General of Police were impleaded as respondents. Advocate PV Yogeswaran, appearing for Mr. Surya, filed the objection in the high court.

The May 27 direction was passed by Division Bench GR Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan directing the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police/Head of Police Force (DGP/HoPF) to ensure that no cow or calf is slaughtered in Tamil Nadu either on the eve of Bakrid on Thursday (May 28) or on any other day.

The regulation was based on a 1976 regulation that prohibited the slaughter of cows in the interests of milk production and the improvement of the rural economy.

Justice Swaminathan, who authored the decision, pointed out 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.

Published – 30 Jun 2026 23:50 IST