The Supreme Court on Thursday, 18 May, upheld the constitutional validity of the amendments made by Tamil Nadu to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act), and in doing so permitted the sport 'Jallikattu.'
Kambala, Bull-Cart Racing Allowed Too: It also upheld the validity of state amendments made to the PCA in Karnataka and Maharashtra, thereby allowing Kambala and bull-cart racing there too.
A constitution bench of the top court said that it could not agree with the view that " Jallikattu is not a part of cultural heritage of State of Tamil Nadu."
"We do not think that there was sufficient material for the Court to come to that conclusion," the judgment added.
Justices KM Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar said that the amendments made by the state governments have been introduced to reduce pain and suffering of bovines and to allow the sport to continue.
"When legislature has declared that Jallikattu is part of cultural heritage of TN state, judiciary cannot take a different view. Legislature is best suited to decide that," the bench said.
Rewind: The Supreme Court on 8 December 2022 reserved its judgment on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of laws permitting Jalikattu.
The apex court had in an earlier judgment (Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja & Ors 2014) banned the bull-taming sport.
Meanwhile, protests against the ban broke out across Tamil Nadu and the state government, in response, passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017.
The purpose of the 2017 amendment act was to continue with Jalikattu while ensuring “the survival and wellbeing of the native breeds of bulls.”
However, soon after, petitions challenging the 2017 amendment to the 1960 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) were filed in the top court, which referred the case to the current constitution bench.
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