SC stays govt notification; no Jallikattu celebration this year

The Supreme Court, on 12 January, stayed the central government's notification which exempted the bull taming sport Jallikattu from a list of sports banned from using bulls.

A plea was filed by the animal rights organisation PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the ruling came in response to it.

The notification, which was passed by the government on 8 January, amended a previous notification of 2011 that had banned the sport in Tamil Nadu.

Jallikattu is performed as a part of Pongal celebrations in the state and several people have been demanding the legalising of the sport, citing its traditional significance.

However, animal rights activists opine that the practice is 'barbaric' and inflicts a lot of pain and torture on animals.

The Supreme Court's decision can be seen as a huge setback for the central government as it was already facing a lot of opposition for lifting the ban from the sport.