IA  NO.3  IN  Petition(s)  for  Special  Leave  to  Appeal  (Civil) No(s).13199/2012

(From the judgement and order  dated 12/03/2012 in PIL No.28/2012 of the HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY)

SHIVAJIRAO ADHALRAO PATIL                         Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ANR.                       Respondent(s)

(for directions and office report)

WITH

IA NO.3 IN SLP(C)NO.4598/2013: KHED TALUKA CHALAK MALAK SANGH & ORS.

VS. GARGI GAGOI & ORS.

WITH

T.P.(C)NO.68/2013: SECRETARY TO GOVT. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY CHENNAI VS.

JALLIKATTU PERAVAI & ORS. (With Office Report)

WITH  T.P.(C)NO.55/2013:  SECRETARY  TO  GOVT.  VS.  SOOSAI  MANICKAM  &

ORS. (With Office Report)

Date: 15/02/2013  These matters were called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K.S. RADHAKRISHNAN

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DIPAK MISRA

For Petitioner(s) Mr. Uday U. Lalit, Sr.Adv.

Mr. Ravindra Keshavrao Adsure, Adv.

Mr. Pramod Kumar Singh, Adv.

Mr. S.K. Sabharwal,Adv.

For Respondent(s) Mr. Raj Panjwani,Sr.Adv.

Ms. Purnima Bhat Kak,Adv.

Mr. Guru Krishna Kumar,Sr.Adv.[A.A.G.]

Mr. M. Yogesh Kanna,Adv.

Mr. A. Santha Kumaran,Adv.

Mr. Sanjay Kharde, Adv.

Ms. Asha Gopalan Nair, Adv.

Mr. Vinay Navare, Adv.

Mr. Keshav Ranjan, Adv.

Mr. Satyajeet Kumar, Adv.

Ms. Abha R. Sharma, Adv. 5

Mr. Ajay Majithia,Adv.

Mr. Shekhar Kumar, Adv.

Mr. G.V. Rao, Adv.

Mr. Sudhakar, Adv.

UPON hearing counsel the Court made the following

O R D E R

IA NO.3 IN SLP(C)No.13199/2012 and

IA NO.3 IN SLP(C)NO.4598/2013:

Heard  learned  counsel  on  either  side  including learned counsel appearing for the State of Maharashtra, who has taken stand that the State Government has no objection in permitting the performance of Bullock/Bullock Cart races in the State of Maharashtra.  Learned counsel appearing for the State, however, referred to paragraph 29 of the counter affidavit  filed  by  them,  annexed  in  IA  No.3  in SLP(C)No.4598 of 2013, wherein certain conditions have been enumerated,  which,  according  to  the  State,  have   to  be followed.  We are, therefore, inclined to  grant permission to conduct the Bullock/Bullock cart races in the State of Maharashtra subject to the conditions that :

(i) At  every  event,  where  bullock cart races are to be held, a separate track for  each  bullock  cart  will have  to  be provided.

(ii) No whipping of the bull would be  permitted  and  the  cartman  would  only  be permitted to swirl it in the air and hit it on  the  ground,  but  in  no  manner  whatsoever would  the  cartman  be  permitted  to  whip  the bull or induce pain or cause any injury while conducting bullock cart races.

(iii) A  veterinary  Doctor  who  is attached  to  the  village  Dispensary  shall first inspect all the bulls that participate in the bullock cart races to ensure that they are in good physical condition and they are not  intoxicated  and  that  there  is  no application  of  chilly  powder  or  mud  to  the genitals  of  the  bull  to  make  it  more aggressive or ferocious, so that it runs at a faster speed.

In the event of any unfortunate injury that may occur  to  a  bull  during  the  race, immediate adequate medical facility would be provided by the Veterinary Doctor.

(iv) In  the  even  of  any  bull  is subjected to cruelty by any person or persons during the bullock cart races, penal action would  be  initiated  against  him/them   under the Prevention of Animal Cruelties Act, 1960.

(v) The  Veterinary  Doctor  in association with NGOs espousing the cause of animal welfare would video graph the bullock cart  races  from  vintage  position  so  as  to enable the authorities to find out that there is an infraction of law or of the aforesaid guidelines during the course of the races.

(vi) If  the  Committee  to  Monitor Animal  Welfare  Laws  in  Maharashtra constituted   by  the  High  Court  desires  to video graph the bullock cart races, then they would  be  entitled  to  do  so  and  necessary safeguards  and  assistance  would  be  provided to them by the Government.7

(vii) Any  organization  seeking  to conduct  bullock  cart  races  would  have  to inform  the  District  administration/District Collector and the concerned police station in writing at least ten days prior to holding of such  race,  which  in  turn  would  immediately intimate the same to the said Committee.

We are inclined to further direct that the District administration  shall  take  all  precautions  to  ensure  that  the animals are not tortured or subjected to cruel treatment. They shall  also  take  necessary  steps  for  the  safety  of  the spectators  and  participants.  The  District  Collector  will  give due intimation to the aforesaid Committee. The Collector shall ensure  that  the  aforesaid  conditions  imposed  in  regard  to participation of the animals shall be implemented and followed. The  District  Collector  will  submit  Report  within  three  weeks after completion of the Festival events.

With  the  aforesaid  directions,  the  interlocutory applications stand disposed of.

T.P.(C)NO.68/2013 and    T.P.(C)NO.55/2013:

In terms of signed order,  The Transfer Petitions

are allowed.

(A.D. Sharma)                                                                                                     (Renuka Sadana)

 Court Master                                                                                                         Court Master

 (Signed Order is placed on the file)