The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court order prohibiting cow slaughter in the state.
The state has filed a special leave petition before the highest court challenging the High Court order.
The Madras High Court, in a May 27 order, had directed state authorities to ensure that no cow or calf was slaughtered on Bakrid 'or on any other day'.
The only exceptions permitted are in cases under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, which allows the slaughter of a cow only if it is over 10 years old, unfit for work or breeding and certified so by competent authority.
The order was passed by a division bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan while hearing a petition on the alleged illegal slaughter of cows in public spaces. The petition was filed by Surya, the state general secretary of the Indu Makkal Katchi.