SC to hear Jallikattu matters on Jan 31

The Supreme Court today said that it will hear all Jallikattu matters on January 31 after the Centre filed a plea seeking to withdraw the January 6 notification, allowing the bull taming sport in Tamil Nadu.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra allowed all the applications related to Jallikattu to be filed and said the matter will be heard on Tuesday. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi mentioned before the bench that Centre has filed a plea seeking to withdraw the January 2016 notification.

Justice Misra said the appropriate bench which has heard and reserved the verdict will take up the matters. The apex court has earlier said that it will be hearing the matter on January 30.

On January 25, the Animal Welfare Board of India and rights bodies had challenged the new Tamil Nadu legislation enacted to allow Jallikattu during Pongal festival. Those challenging the bill, passed by the state assembly on January 23, were contending that it was against the mandate of the Supreme Court judgement which has held that the "sport is inherently cruel" towards animals and this real issue has not been addressed by the lawmakers.

The pleas were mentioned for urgent hearing before the apex court which had asked the Board and animal rights activists to file their applications. In their applications, the animal rights group had said that the new law passed by Tamil Nadu Assembly to allow Jallikattu has over-reached the earlier verdict of apex court.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment), Act, 2017 piloted by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, was unanimously adopted on January 23 by a voice vote in the assembly after a brief debate. Nearly 70 caveats have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking prior hearing if pleas challenging the new legislation allowing Jallikattu in the state come up for consideration.

The caveats were filed a day after the AIADMK government moved the apex court seeking a prior hearing before any order is proposed to be passed in the matter.