SC allows bullock-cart race in Maharashtra
Dec 16, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 16 : The Supreme Court allowed on Thursday the resumption of bullock-cart race in Maharashtra on the same conditions and regulations as mentioned in the state amendments to Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar said the validity of the Maharashtra amendments too will be decided by the constitution bench alongside those of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The challenge to the validity of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu state amendments is pending before a Constitution Bench of the apex court since 2018.
The top court in 2014 had banned Jallikattu, bull-race, and bullock-cart races across the country while holding that these violated provisions of the PCA Act. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had amended PCA Act to allow regulated bull races, which are under challenge and pending in Supreme Court.
The apex court was hearing an application of the Maharashtra government urging to permit it to conduct a bullock-cart race, at par with the States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In February 2018, the top court had referred the pleas related to 'Jallikattu' to a five-judge Constitution Bench which would decide if the bull-taming sport fell under cultural rights or perpetuated cruelty to animals.
