- By Akanksha Verma
- Wed, 17 May 2023 11:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court will on Thursday deliver its verdict on a batch of pleas against laws that allow bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races in Maharashtra. The judgment is likely to be pronounced by a five-judge Constitution bench chaired by Justice K M Joseph.
The cause list uploaded on the Supreme Court's website said a single judgement will be delivered by Justice Aniruddha Bose.
Bull-taming is a sport that is practised in Tamil Nadu as a part of the Pongal harvest festival. The sport is known by the names 'Jallikattu' and 'Eruthazhuvuthal'.
What Is The Jallikattu Row
The law of Tamil Nadu that permits Jallikattu has been contested in the petitions, one of which was submitted by the animal rights organisation PETA. Tomorrow's judgment may decide the future of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act 2017, and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikattu) Rules 2017.
These two laws had allowed the return of Jallikattu in the name of culture and tradition despite a ban by the Supreme Court in 2014. Banning the use of bulls for such sports across the country, the top court had said bulls cannot be used as performing animals for Jallikattu and bullock-cart races.
In December last year, the Constitution Bench had reserved the case for judgment after hearing marathon arguments of petitioners, including activists, and the Tamil Nadu government.
In February 2018, the Constitution Bench received the case referral. The main issue at hand was whether or not Article 29 (1) of the Constitution should be invoked to safeguard jallikattu as a communal cultural right. Part III of the Constitution guarantees Article 29 (1), a fundamental right that safeguards citizens' rights to education and culture.
The court had examined if the laws “perpetuate cruelty to animals” or were actually a means to ensure “the survival and well-being of the native breed of bulls”.
What SC Said On Jallikattu
The Supreme Court had previously stated that a larger bench should have heard the petitions challenging the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 because they raised important constitutional interpretation issues. The bench framed five questions for the larger bench to decide on.
Even though 'Jallikattu' involves cruelty, the top court ruled that it cannot be referred to be a blood sport because no weapons are used and the blood may only be present incidentally.
Despite the possibility of cruelty in the sport, it was stated, individuals do not participate in the competition in order to kill the animal.
"Because there is death does not mean it is a blood sport. I don't suggest that people who are going to participate and climb onto the bulls are going there in order to extract blood in that event. People are not going to kill the animal. Blood may be an incidental thing," the bench, also comprising justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar had observed.
(With inputs from agencies)