SC refuses immediate stay on Kambala

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to pass an interim stay on the Ordinance allowing Karnataka's traditional buffalo race 'Kambala'. It, however, agreed to examine the constitutional validity of the Ordinance on November 13.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra sought response from Attorney General K K Venugopal and the Karnataka government on a petition filed by NGO Peta India.

The court issued notice to Tamil Nadu government on a separate plea by the same NGO, challenging a similar Ordinance passed for allowing Jallikattu. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, sought the Tamil Nadu government's response within four weeks.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the NGO, 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals', sought immediate stay on the proposed events of Kambala to be organised in Karnataka in the month of November and December.

The animal rights group claimed the move was to circumvent the apex court's judgement of 2014, declaring Jallikattu, Kambala and other such sports as illegal, in view of cruelty involved to tbe bull and buffalo.

The court said it would consider the matter for any interim order on next Monday.

Mangaluru Kambala Committee's president Ashok Rai, through advocate Sanjay M Nuli, sought to intervene into the matter.

The President had in July promulgated the 'Prevention of cruelty to animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, granting legal status to the sport.

Karnataka has followed the Tamil Nadu's example which preferred the Ordinance route to legalise Jallikattu, in view of a large-scale clamour and demand for it in the state.