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Apex Court rejects plea for judgment on Jallikattu today

Today, the Supreme Court rejected a plea urging it to pass judgement on bull taming sport Jallikattu before the harvest festival of Pongal on Saturday.

However, the Supreme Court said that the draft of judgement has been prepared but it was not possible to deliver it before Saturday when Jallikattu is to be organised.

The court had reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the notification of Centre allowing the sport.

Earlier, the court had questioned the Centre for its January 2016 notification allowing use of bulls in events like Jallikattu, saying that its 2014 verdict banning the use of the animals cannot be negated.

The Centre, supporting the tradition, has said that bulls are not tortured or subjected to alcohol before the sport.

The Supreme Court had observed that as it is against the culture ofcompassion towards animals so the country cannot import Roman gladiator-type sport.

In its 2014 judgement, the court had said that bulls could not be used as performing animals, either for Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races in the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country. The court had banned their use across the country.

Earlier, the apex court had declared Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jalliakattu Act, 2009 as constitutionally void, being violative or Article 254(1) of the Constitution.

The Centre had issued a notification on 8th January, 2016 lifting ban on Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu with certain restrictions. Animal Welfare Board of India, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, a Bangalore-based NGO and others challenged this notification in the apex court .

On 21st January 2016, the Supreme Court had refused to re-examine its 2014 judgement banning use of bulls for Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races across the country.

The Supreme Court had also stayed the 8th January notification of the Central government.

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