Supreme Court to hear petitions on Jallikattu again today

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a clutch of petitions against the NDA government’s decision to re-introduce “Jallikattu” – the traditional bull taming festival in Tamil Nadu and other States – even though the top court had banned it in 2015.

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a clutch of petitions against the NDA government’s decision to re-introduce “Jallikattu” – the traditional bull taming festival in Tamil Nadu and other States – even though the top court had banned it in 2015.

The decision to uplift the ban on Jallikattu is widely perceived as a tactical political move for BJP in the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections due this year. (AP File Photo)

The petitions were on Monday mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur. Animal Welfare Board of India, a statutory body and two NGOs - People for Ethical Treatment of Animals and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, have assailed the Centre’s January 7 notification, which removed bulls from the list of non-exhibition animals enabling them to be used for entertainment purposes.

The decision is widely perceived as a tactical political move aimed at establishing a strong base for BJP in the upcoming assembly elections due this year.