Animal rights groups challenge new TN law on Jallikattu in SC

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on Monday the pleas of Animal Welfare Board of India and other animal rights organisations challenging the new law passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly to allow bull taming sport Jallikattu in the state. The pleas were mentioned for urgent listing before the bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra. The bench asked senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Anand Grover to file their applications which will be taken up for hearing on January 30 when the Centre’s plea for withdrawing the January 6, 2016 notification will be taken up.
In their applications, the animal rights group has said that the new law passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly to allow Jallikattu has overreached the earlier verdict of the apex court.Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had on Tuesday informed the apex court that the Centre had decided to withdraw the January 6, 2016 notification allowing Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu.The apex court, which had reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the notification, had said that the bench concerned would take a decision on when the application of the Centre would come up for its consideration.The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment), Act, 2017 piloted by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, was unanimously adopted on January 23 by a voice vote in the Assembly after a brief debate.