The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the State to file a report to a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the authorities to frame and implement an effective monitoring mechanism to strictly enforce an 8 to 12-hour feed withdrawal timeline for live broiler chickens prior to transportation from poultry farms to traders.A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel was hearing the petition filed by Raj Mohamed of Pudukkottai. The petitioner also sought a direction to the authorities to ensure 100% ground-level compliance across all poultry farms.He said unlike foreign countries and several other States in India where over 90% of chicken is consumed in frozen or processed form, in Tamil Nadu, nearly 90% of broiler chicken sales and consumption happen through live bird markets. Ready-to-sale birds are transported live from poultry farms to retail traders and slaughtered immediately prior to retail sale. Considering the same, Broiler Coordination Committee (BCC) and Poultry Farmer Regulatory Committee (PFRC) were formed.Pursuant to international standards, guidance documents under The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, including the Rules, viz., The Transport of Animals (Amendment) Rules, 2001, and findings of The Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), feed withdrawal prior to slaughter and transportation is scientifically mandated, he said.He said this mandatory feed withdrawal allows the gastrointestinal tract of live birds to empty preventing fecal contamination during transit, reducing environmental pollution, curbing the spread of food-borne pathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter, and ensuring safe and hygienic chicken for the public/consumers.Despite statutory regulations and clear scientific recommendations, poultry producers continuously indulge in severe malpractices by force-feeding broiler birds right up to the moment of loading into transport vehicles to artificially inflate the live weight of the birds. Transporting birds with full stomachs leads to massive fecal dumping in crates, creating unhygienic conditions in public live markets and posing serious health risks, he said.He sought a direction to the State to frame and implement an effective monitoring mechanism. The court posted the matter for hearing to September 8. Published - July 31, 2026 09:13 pm IST