SC to Govt on Jallikattu: Child marriage is also old tradition, is it legal then?

New Delhi, July 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday posted for final disposal a plea against the centre's notification on Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu. The Animal Welfare Board of India had challenged a notification issued by the Centre lifting the ban on Jallikattu (bull fighting).

When the matter came up for hearing before a Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, the Centre said that the ban on Jallikattu was lifted because it is an age old tradition. To this Justice Misra said, "Child marriage too is an age old tradition. Does that make it legal? In earlier times child marriage was common. Does that justify its practise."

The matter has now been posted for final disposal on August 23.

The four-year-old ban on holding of Jallikattu was lifted on January 8 by the Centre vide a notification. The notification had been criticised by animal rights' activists.

The notification read :"Central Government, hereby specifies that following animals shall not be exhibited or trained as performing animals with effect from the date of publication of this notification, namely bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls.

Provided that bulls may be continued to be exhibited or trained as a performing animal, at events such as Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat in the manner by customs of any community or practiced traditionally."

OneIndia News