The Maharashtra Assembly passed a legislation in April this year for resuming bullock cart races across the state, after Tamil Nadu enacted a law to regularise Jallikattu. (Representational Image)
The Bombay High Court has restrained the Maharashtra government from granting permission for bullock cart races till rules are put in place to prevent cruelty to animals. A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Pune resident Ajay Marathe, said that as the state government has not yet drafted any rules regarding the races, it cannot allow the races.
Marathe had claimed that using bullocks for races meant inflicting punishment on them. It requested the court to stay a race happening on Thursday in Pune stating that under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, the state government should ensure no harm or suffering is caused to the animals during
the races.
The court said that till the rules are framed under the Act, the state cannot allow bullock cart races. The bench also said that it would also want to first go through the rules before a go-ahead is given for the races. The Chief Justice also said that the state would have to evolve a mechanism to ensure no harm or suffering is caused to
the animals.
Government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani informed the court that the draft rules were ready and have been uploaded on the government’s website for inviting suggestions.
The court asked the government to file an affidavit within two weeks in response to the petition. The petitioner also referred to the Supreme Court order on the Jallikattu practice in Tamil Nadu. The bench referred to it stating that the apex court’s orders clearly said that bulls cannot be seen as performing animals.
The Maharashtra Assembly passed a legislation in April this year for resuming bullock cart races across the state, after Tamil Nadu enacted a law to regularise Jallikattu.
