SC reserves verdict on batch of pleas against bull-taming sport Jallikattu

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgement on a batch of pleas challenging Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra laws allowing bull-taming sport ‘Jallikattu’ and bullock cart races. ”Jallikattu”, also known as ”eruthazhuvuthal”, is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph heard submissions from senior advocates including Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Tamil Nadu, and several other counsel representing the intervenors.

The bench, also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, asked parties to file a collective compilation of written submissions with a week. The top court had earlier said the petitions challenging the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 needed to be decided by a larger bench since they involved substantial questions relating to interpretation of the Constitution.

The bench framed five questions to be adjudicated upon by the larger bench.

The petitions, including one filed by animal rights body PETA, have challenged the state law that allowed the bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu.