A
Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional
validity of the amendments made by the state of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to the
central law of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act.
The
judge bench comprising Justice KM Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi, Justice
Aniruddha Bose, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar dismissed a
batch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of laws permitting
Jalikattu, Kambala and bull-cart racing in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The
court further asserted that Jallikattu is a part of the cultural heritage of
Tamil Nadu.
"We
are satisfied on materials that in Jallikattu is going in Tamil Nadu for last
one century. Whether this as part of integral part of Tamil culture requires
greater detail, which exercise judiciary cannot undertake.."
Through
a 2017 ordinance, the Tamil Nadu government announced an amendment to the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act to allow Jallikattu in the state; this was
also later ratified by the President of India.
Animal
rights body PETA had challenged the amendment by the state on the basis of
unconstitutionality.
In
2018, the court referred the pleas challenging the amendments to allow
Jallikattu to a larger bench since they involved substantial questions relating
to the interpretation of the Constitution.
Jallikattu
is a traditional bull-taming sport celebrated in the second week of January
during the festival of Pongal.