No Kambala for now, hearing in 2 weeks: HC

Bengaluru, 31 Jan 2017: The High Court on Monday refused to vacate a stay on the buffalo racing sport of Kambala. A division bench comprising Chief Justice SK Mukherjee and Justice R B Budihal said, “No Kambala.” The District Kambala Committee and others had appealed against the stay. The court will hear the case again in two weeks. The organisers cited the Karnataka Cabinet’s decision to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 to list Kambala and bullock cart racing as ‘traditional sports.’ 

 

The petitioners also contended Tamil Nadu’s ordinance in favour of the bull-taming sport of Jallikattu had received the Centre’s approval. The bench, however, observed the Jallikattu ordinance was coming up for hearing on Tuesday at the Supreme Court. “We would not like to hear a matter similar to that,” it said. Justice Mukherjee said the buffalo was not a performing animal, and the stay could not be vacated.

 

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, in a public interest petition, had sought quashing of a notification dated December 17, 2015, allowing the coastal Karnataka sport under certain conditions. The Karnataka government’s department of animal husbandry and fisheries had issued the notification. 

 

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) had recorded 65 complaints of non-cognisable offence. Yet, the authorities had filed just one FIR in connection with three Kambala events between December 2014 and January 2015, the petitioners had submitted to the court. All three events, PETA contended, had displayed gross cruelty towards the animals and violated several laws, besides an apex court order. In the wake of the success of the agitation for Jallikattu, people in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have stepped up their demand for the restoration of Kambala.