The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the validity of the Tamil Nadu law allowing the bull-taming sport "Jallikattu" in the state.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph, which delivered a unanimous verdict, also upheld the validity of the Maharashtra law allowing bullock-cart races. The bench, also comprising justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, delivered its verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra laws allowing "Jallikattu" and bullock-cart races.
"When the legislature has declared 'Jallikattu' as part of the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu, then the judiciary cannot take a different view," a Supreme Court constitution bench stated.
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The game of Jallikattu has courted controversies previously over cruelty towards animals. The court dismissed all the pleas challenging the validity of states’ laws allowing Jallikattu and bullock cart races. Parties including the Animal Welfare Board, PETA, CUPA, Federation Of Indian Animal Protection Organisations and Animal Equality, Union of India and the State of Tamil Nadu, challenged the amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act passed by the State Assembly. It was challenged by PETA.
The local bull-taming sport includes a participant who is supposed to grab the bull by its horns and tame it as it tries to shrug him off. Over the years, several people have reportedly been injured and killed during the famous bull-taming sport across southern states, after which the court banned it. However, the 2017 ordinance was made to continue with the same.
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In 2017, the Tamil Nadu government issued an ordinance amending the central Act and allowing Jallikattu in the state, which was later amended by the President.
