HC stays single judge order restricting elephant parades

Kochi, Apr 17 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today stayed a single judge's order restricting the parading of elephants between 1100 and 1500 hrs during temple festivals.

A vacation bench of the court, comprising Justices K T Shankaran and S Sirijagan, stayed the April 11 order of Justice C N Ramachandran Nair on an appeal filed by the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms, which organise the famous Thrissur Pooram festival.

The Devaswoms had moved the division bench against the single judge's modified order of April 12, which while allowing the parading of elephants between 1100 and 1500 hrs during the Thrissur Pooram, had imposed several conditions.

Justice C N Ramachandran Nair had on April 12 modified his April 11 order restricting parading of elephants between 1100 and 1500 hrs on an appeal filed by the Devaswom Boards, which submitted that the parading of elephants was traditionally done between 1100 and 1700 hrs during the Thrissur Pooram.

While allowing the Devaswom Boards to parade the elephants, the single judge had directed them to ensure that the pachyderms would be given rest during the morning and the previous night of the festival.

Not satisfied with the single judge's order, the Devaswom Boards today moved the division bench.

UNI