Will Holding Kambala Race In Bengaluru Amount To Animal Cruelty?: Karnataka High Court Orally Asks In Plea For Stay Of Bull Race

While hearing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India's (PETA) plea for staying a bull race event–'Kambala' scheduled for October 26 in Bengaluru, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (October 22) orally enquired if holding the event would amount to cruelty to animals. 

The high court was hearing the organisation's plea which also seeks to restrain the state government from issuing permission for holding bulls races–whether styled as Kambala or otherwise–anywhere, outside of the rural areas of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts where Kambala is held as part of tradition and culture.

During the hearing senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa appearing for PETA argued before a division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind that these races can be held in Udupi district and Dakshina Kannada regions as per the Supreme Court order. He said that can be held where it is the "tradition and culture of that place" and not in Bengaluru.

Further he submitted that the authorities have now decided to hold the event in Bengaluru and Shimoga for which the animals will have to be brought from Dakshina Kannada which is 300km away, to run in the event. He submitted that the animals will have to be herded in trucks for over eight hours journey which would be "cruelty".

Chinnappa said, "We cannot object to sport being held in Dakshin Kannada and Udupi as it is culture of that area. It cannot be allowed to held in other areas of the state".

At this stage the high court orally asked, "Will holding of event will amount to cruelty to animals?".

To this Chinnappa said that the "event here" (in Bengaluru) is a commercial activity, for which tickets are sold, food courts are set up and over 1 lakh people are expected to attend. He urged that a traditional event cannot be converted into a commercial activity/show.

Meanwhile Government advocate Niloufer Akbar informed the court that Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty would make submissions for the state government requesting that the matter can be listed day after.

After hearing the matter for some time the high court listed the matter on Wednesday (October 23). 

Among various reliefs sought for, the plea prays for a direction to enforce the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (as amended by the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (second Karnataka amendment) Act, 2017), the state government's November 14, 2017 Notification and the observations of the Supreme Court in the Animal Welfare Board of India and Ors. v. Union of India and ors., (2023) in all future Kambala events held in any part of the state. 

It further seeks to declare a government order dated November 21, 2023 granting permission notification, as a non-speaking order, ultra vires of and in derogation of the provisions of the 1960 Act and Supreme Court decision. 

The plea also seeks direction to the authorities to take necessary stringent action against the organisers of the buffalo bull races at Bangalore.

Appearance: Senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa for advocate Sankeerth Vittal for petitioner

Case Title: PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS (PETA), INDIA AND State of Karnataka & Others

Case No: WP 18406/2024