CHENNAI: The Chief bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Union government to look after, whether the vehicles carrying cattles to other States from Tamil Nadu have proper documents.

The first division bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad heard a petition moved by advocate G Rajendran seeking to direct the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) not to allow any vehicle carrying the cattles without any valid documents and certificates.

The government submitted a counter stating that 378 cases were registered for transporting cattles to other States without proper documents.

After the submission the bench directed to look after the vehicles carrying cattles to other States and directed to initiate action against offenders for transporting cattles without proper documents. The case was posted to April 24 for further submissions.

The petitioner contended that despite the court's order, thousands of cattles from the State are carried to other States without proper documents.

The cattles are transported from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala through Tamil Nadu, during this longest journey the cattle suffer both physically and mentally as they are not allowed to sit and rest, and due to this, some cattles die.

The petitioner sought to direct the State and the police to not allow the vehicles without valid documents from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

Further, the petitioner also sought to cancel the permit of the vehicle which violates the rules, and hand over the cattles to Gosalas.