SC rejects plea on lifting ban on Jallikattu, Tamil Nadu govt seeks Centre's help

SC rejects plea on lifting ban on Jallikattu, Tamil Nadu govt seeks Centre's help

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea on lifting the ban on the bull-taming sport of Jallikattu, a day after the AIADMK urged the Prime Minister to immediately issue an ordinance to remove "bulls" from the list of animals that are banned from being exhibited or trained so that there Jallikattu could be held smoothly this year.

The petition had sought the top court's intervention to pass the judgement.

However, the court said that the draft of the Jallikattu judgement had been prepared but it was not possible to deliver it before Saturday, when the festival is to be organised in Tamil Nadu.

With Tamil Nadu asking the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to enable the smooth conduct of the bull taming sport, the government has said "things are ready from our side" but insisted that it would wait for the Supreme Court's decision regarding the issue.

Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave, who met a delegation led by Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai, regarding this issue also blamed the previous Congress-led UPA government for including bulls in the list of animals prohibited from being exhibited or trained as performing animals.

Dave asserted that there was no ill treatment of the bulls during the performance of the sport and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will look into all these aspects while giving its decision so that the people can celebrate their festivals with full pleasure.

The Supreme Court in November 2016 had dismissed the plea of the state government seeking review of its 2014 judgement which banned the use of bulls for Jallikattu events in the state.