The Supreme Court of India has stayed a directive from the Madras High Court that imposed a blanket ban on cow and calf slaughter across Tamil Nadu, including on days like Bakrid.

The interim order was passed by a bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, which noted discrepancies in the High Court's final paragraph.

The original order, issued ahead of Bakrid, mandated that no cows or calves be slaughtered on any day, citing concerns about rural economy and milk production.

However, the state government argued that the ban contradicted the 1958 Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, which permits slaughter of older cows unfit for work under specific conditions.The court's order was criticized for effectively replacing statutory laws with judicial legislation.The case highlights tensions between religious sentiments, legal interpretations, and economic interests in livestock management.