Jallikattu: Constitution Bench Reserves Verdict, Asks Parties to File Written Submissions

A five-judge Constitution bench of Justices KM Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar on Thursday reserved its judgment on a batch of petitions challenging Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governments’ laws allowing the bull-taming sport “Jallikattu” and bullock cart races.

The bench asked parties to file a collective compilation of written submissions with a week. 

The supreme court was hearing batch of petitions, including one filed by animal rights body PETA, 
sought direction to quash the Jallikattu law passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which brought bulls back into the fold of “performing animals”.

The petitioner had challenged the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2017 passed by the state assembly on several grounds, including that it circumvented the apex court verdict holding the bull-taming sport as “illegal” in the state.

Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra had amended the central law, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and allowed Jallikattu and bullock cart racing, respectively.