Don't Bring Caste & Religion Into Jallikattu: High Court Directs Madurai District Admin & Municipal Corp To Jointly Conduct Jallikattu Festival

The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Lakshminarayanan remarked that the festival should be conducted peacefully without bringing in religion and caste.

The court was hearing a plea moved by Mohanraj, a resident of Avaniyapuram area. Mohanraj had approached the court seeking directions to the authorities to conduct the festival. He claimed that several petitions had been filed before the district administration seeking permission to conduct the Jallikattu festival, which, if allowed, would create a law and order problem and hamper the smooth conduct of the festival.

In his plea, Mohanraj submitted that the Jallikettu festival has been celebrated for more than 100 years. He further submitted that in the year 2018, following several petitions filed seeking permission to conduct the festival, the Madras High Court, in 2019, had formed a Jallikattu Organising Committee comprising a former District Judge as Chairman and three Advocates as members and formed an Advisory Committee comprising residents of Avaniyapuram to conduct the Jallikettu festival. The High Court had also issued certain guidelines for conducting the festival without any untoward incident.

Mohanraj also pointed out that the State has brought forth an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, thus introducing the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikettu) Rules, 2017.

Mohanraj submitted that in 2020, the District administration had conducted a peace committee meeting and decided to conduct the festival under the District Administration. Following a series of petitions, the High Court ordered the festival to be conducted by the Jallikettu organizing committee similar to the year 2018.

Mohanraj submitted that since a suit had been filed by the Avaniyapuram Thenkal Kanmai Pasana Vivasayikal Matrum Prathana Jallikettu Nala Sangham claiming right over the conduct of the Jallikettu festival, in 2022 and 2023, the District administration decided to conduct the festival in collaboration with the Madurai Corporation.

Mohnaraj contended that several petitions have already been filed with the administration seeking permission to conduct the festival and if any permission was to be accorded, it would create a law and order problem. He informed the court that though he had made representations urging the court authorities to conduct the Jallikettu festival, there was no response which prompted him to approach the court.

The court thus directed the authorities to jointly conduct the festival and disposed of the petition.

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Mad) 402

Case Title: P Mohanraj v The District Collector and Others

Case No: WP (MD) No. 30433 of 2023