Supreme Court Upholds Tamil Nadu Law Allowing Jallikattu In State

Jallikattu In Tamil Nadu: Supreme Court said the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, substantially minimizes pain and suffering to animals.

Jallikattu is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.

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The Supreme Court upheld Tamil Nadu law allowing bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' in the state on Thursday. The Supreme Court said 'Jallikattu' is a part of the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu. 

 

The Supreme Court also allowed the validity of similar laws framed by the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka allowing sports involving animals. 

On Thursday, Supreme Court said the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, substantially minimizes pain and suffering to animals.

 

Supreme Court upholds the Tamil Nadu law allowing bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' in the State

Supreme Court says the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, substantially minimises pain and suffering to animals. pic.twitter.com/DPWVNPaArs

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2023

The five-judge bench comprising Justice KM Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi, Justice Aniruddha Bose, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar pronounced the order on Thursday while hearing the petitions including one filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) challenging the state law that allowed Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu.

According to Live Law, the bench said that they are satisfied with the materials that Jallikattu is going in Tamil Nadu for the last one century.

As a result, the bench said that when legislature declared that jallikattu is part of the cultural heritage of TN state, the judiciary cannot take a different view so the legislature is best suited to decide that.

Later, Supreme Court dismissed all the pleas challenging the validity of states’ laws allowing bull-taming sport Jallikattu and bullock cart races. 

 

Jallikattu is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival. In 2014, a two-Judge Bench of the Apex Court had said bulls cannot be used as performing animals either for Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races and banned their use for these purposes across the country. In 2015, the SC also dismissed Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking a review of the 2014 Judgement.