SC to examine if Jallikattu, other sports can be allowed as cultural right

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would examine if "Jallikattu", bullock cart race and other sports involving bulls or buffaloes can be allowed as part of cultural right guaranteed under the Constitution.

"Under Article 29(1) of the Constitution, if it is a cultural right of a group of citizens to organise such sports. The interpretation of the constitutional provision would have far-reaching impact," a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R F Nariman said, indicating to refer the matter to a larger or Constitution bench.

The top court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and others, challenging the amendments brought in by the state legislatures into the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, to allow Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and the bullock cart race in Maharashtra.

The court reserved its order on framing of questions to be determined by the larger bench. It refused to pass any interim orders on a plea to stay any event of Jallikattu or other sports.

Among other issues, the bench indicated it would also consider if the state governments do have the legislative competence to allow amendment in the central law and if such an amendment is in consonance with the basic tenets of the parent law.

The court put a plea filed by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against the Karnataka government's ordinance -   that allowed Kambala  buffalo race - for consideration after four weeks.

The court's order came after Attorney General K K Venugopal and the state's Additional Advocate General Devdutt Kamat submitted that the President's assent to Karnataka's law, passed subsequently, could come within one month.

Senior advocates Sidharth Luthra, Anand Grover and Shyam Divan, appearing for an animal rights group, contended that the Tamil Nadu's Amendment Act into the central law this year, violated the apex court's judgement, which specifically stated that bulls cannot be used as performing animals.

"But they have introduced Jallikattu as part of tradition and culture," the counsel said.