Kambala Race Is Karnataka's Culture, Can't Be Limited To One Particular Region: State Opposes PETA's Plea In High Court

The Karnataka government on Wednesday (October 23) told the High Court that 'Kambala' is a cultural bull race of the entire State and any argument to limit the same to any particular region should be nipped in the bud.

The submission was made in response to a PIL moved by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India's (PETA), arguing that the bull race is a culture of Udupi district and Dakshina Kannada regions but State's decision to organise the same in Bengaluru, by transporting animals to the capital city, is purely for commercial reasons.

“This is the culture of the State of Karnataka which has arisen. It is not that we have to keep it in Karnataka, we can take it not only in Karnataka but all over India. The question is whether it amounts to cruelty to the animals...Horses are imported from different countries and when horse races are done they move from state to state,” Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty for the State argued.

The AG further informed the division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind that the event is proposed to be held in November, not on October 26 -as wrongly claimed by PETA based on news reports. He submitted that even any permission is not yet sought from the competent authority for holding such event.

"If we do anything we will inform the court," the AG submitted and sought time to file a counter affidavit.

Following which, the Court adjourned the hearing to November 5. It also directed the State to inform in advance if any permission is given for holding the event, to facilitate the Petitioner to move the court.

PETA in its petition has sought to stay a bull race event–'Kambala' in Bengaluru. It 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 it claims Kambala is held as part of tradition and culture.

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.

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

Advocate Vinod Kumar For R3.

Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty for R1.

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

Case No: WP 18406/2024