Activists challenge TN's Jallikattu Act in Supreme Court

New Delhi: Animal Welfare Board and other animal rights activists moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging validity of Act passed by Tamil Nadu assembly allowing Jallikattu.

The apex court has listed the matter for Monday along with Centre's plea for withdrawing the 2016 notification allowing Jallikattu.

In November last year, the SC had rejected the plea of the Tamil Nadu government seeking review of the 2014 judgement, which had banned the use of bulls for Jallikattu events in the state.

After hearing from various petitioners and respondents in the case, a division bench of the top court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and also comprising Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, dismissed the state government's review petition.

The court in its order had said, "We are of the opinion that the review petition does not contain any merit and thus accordingly we dismiss it."

The state government had filed the review petition in the apex court in 2014 through its Chief Secretary, claiming that it was illegal and unconstitutional as the taming of bulls for such an event amounted to "cruelty".

The Tamil Nadu assembly on January 23 unanimously passed the Jallikattu Bill revoking the ban on the bull taming sports.

Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on January 21 approved the ordinance issued by the state government.

From the past one week, Chennai's Marina Beach has been thronged by massive crowds demanding to lift the ban of the traditional sport.