Supreme Court puts stay on the revival of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu

Supreme Court puts stay on the revival of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu

Supreme Court of India ordered a stay on the central government notification which allowed Jallikattu in the state of Tamil Nadu. The traditional game of Jallikattu involves bullock cart racing and bull fight as well.

The Narendra Modi led NDA government has been under criticism on social media for allowing cruelty to animals. The central government allowed the game in the states of Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  Ironically, the central government itself banned the sport using July 2011 notification.

The Tamil Nadu government and opposition party welcomed the current decision by the center citing reason of allowing a traditional sport.  Animal rights activists and NGOs opposed the decision to restart jallikattu and bullock cart racing. Prominent lawyers such as SidharthLuthra have pointed out that the new notification is the violation of Supreme Court order dated May 7, 2014. As per the 2014 order, the apex court banned the practice of both traditional sports as the government notification of 2011 was challenged.

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice N V Ramana and Dipak Misra questioned the necessity of such festival as it wasn’t there for past four years. MukulRohatgi, Attorney General of India, argued on the behalf of government that the notification allows framework to prevent physical damage and torture to animals during such events.  Attorney General further added that specific breed of bull is used to play jallikattu and the species will go extinct if it is banned.

The Supreme Court still uphold the July 2011 notification on Jallikattu which bans it for this season in Tamil Nadu.