The stay will be on for four weeks, the court has also sought the Centre's reponse to PILs about the new rules
People protested the ban in large numbers in several places in Tamil Nadu.
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The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court yesterday stayed for four weeks the Centre's notification banning sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter, and sought its response to PILs which contended that the rules should have been approved by Parliament first.
The bench comprising Justices M V Muralidharan and C V Karthikeyan issued the interim order on the two pleas which said that provisions in the rules should be quashed as they were against the Constitution, breached the principle of federalism, and were contrary to the parent legislation — Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. Referring to the contention of the petitioners that the notification was related to food and hence ought to have been approved by Parliament, the judges asked the Centre to respond to the point also in its counter to be filed in four weeks.
Several places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been witnessing protests against the ban. Protesters have alleged that it infringed upon the food habits of people. The petitioners said the provisions were notified on May 23 last when courts were on vacation. Such rules should be discussed in parliament and approved by it.
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