Chennai: The Madras High Court, on Tuesday, has granted an interim stay on the implementation of rules banning the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter at animal fairs, notified by the Central Government. A Division Bench, comprising Justices M.V. Muralidharan and C.V. Karthikeyan, issued the interim order on separate petitions filed by S. Selvagomathi of Madurai and Asik Elahi Baba, who hails from Kalimangalam near Madurai.

The Judges said that a delegated power to Legislate by making rules, for carrying out the purposes of the Act, was general in nature, without laying any guidelines. “It cannot be so exercised as to bring into existence substantive rights or obligations or disabilities not contemplated by the provisions of the Act,” they said.

The Counsel for the Centre argued that the aim of the notification was to regulate animal markets. However, the Court stayed the Centre’s order and issued notices to both the Centre and State Governments, asking them to respond in four weeks.