New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) this morning ordered a nationwide stay on Central Government’s rule that had imposed a blanket prohibition on the slaughtering of cattle brought from animal markets.

The SC extended the Madras High Court’s stay order on the issue stating that “livelihood cannot be subjected to uncertainties.”

The Centre on May 25 had banned sale of cattle, including cows, for slaughter and restricted cattle trade to farm owners, a decision that hit poor farmers and squeezed supplies to the country’s Rs. 1 lakh-crore meat industry.

The Madras High Court on May 30 had stayed the notification on the ground that it violated an individual’s right to choice of food. Today, the Apex Court upheld Madras High Court’s verdict and extended the same across the nation.

The cow vigilantism had increased following the ban on cow slaughter and incidents of lynching on account of alleged slaughter have been reported from different parts of the country.