Jallikattu row: SC to hear petitions on January 31

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear all the petitions filed on the bull-taming festival of Jallikattu on January 31. Attorney General  Mukul Rohatgi told the top court that the Centre is filing an application to withdraw the January last year's notification, following which the a bench of court headed by Justice Dipak Misra announced the date of hearing. The apex court had earlier on November 16 last year rejected the plea of the Tamil Nadu government seeking review of the 2014 judgement which had banned the use of bulls for Jallikattu events in the state. After hearing from various petitioners and respondents in the case, a division bench of the Top Court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and also comprising Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, dismissed the state government's review petition. The court in its order had said, "We are of the opinion that the review petition does not contain any merit and thus accordingly we dismiss it." The state government had filed the review petition in the Apex Court in 2014 through its Chief Secretary, claiming that it was illegal and unconstitutional as the taming of bulls for such an event amounted to "cruelty". The Tamil Nadu assembly on January 23 unanimously passed the Jallikattu Bill revoking the ban on the bull taming sports.

Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on January 21 approved the ordinance issued by the state government. Till now, 69 caveat petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court in the Jallikattu matter till now over a period of three day, and more may be filed. A caveat means that if a petition against Jallikattu is filed before the Supreme Court it will hear all parties before delivering any verdict.