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The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Maharashtra to hold bullock cart races in the state until the case is pending before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. The races will take place in several parts of the state, particularly in Pune and the western region of Maharashtra, where the 400-year-old tradition was rife.
What is the SC command?
The SC, while allowing the resumption of ox-cart races, observed on Thursday that the validity of the amended provisions of the 1960 Law on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the rules framed by Maharashtra, which provided for the races oxcarts in the state, would operate for the duration of the petitions, as the whole matter was referred to a constitutional bench. The Maharashtra government told SC on Wednesday that the state’s ban on oxcart racing should be lifted, as the same is being done in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
While allowing oxen racing in Maharashtra, the SC said: “One country, one race, we must have uniformity and there must be a rule. If the races are in other states, why shouldn’t this be allowed by Maharashtra. “
In November 2017, the government of Maharashtra established a committee to study the running ability of various breeds of bulls and oxen in relation to horses.
Why was there a ban on ox cart racing?
Ox-cart racing was banned in Maharashtra after the Supreme Court ruled that racing violated the provisions of central law in 2014. After the government of Tamil Nadu enacted a law to regulate jallikattu (bull taming ), there has been a demand to revive the ox races in Maharashtra.
In April 2017, the Maharashtra assembly passed a law to resume oxcart racing across the state. The bill entitled “Animal Cruelty Prevention Bill (Maharashtra Amendment)” was passed unanimously with the support of all parties. It was promulgated by then-president Pranab Mukherjee a few days before stepping down.
The bill regularized ox racing, a popular sport in rural Maharashtra that was banned in 2014 on the grounds that it caused pain and suffering to oxen. According to the amendment, ox-cart races could be organized with the prior authorization of the district collector concerned, ensuring that no pain or suffering is caused to the animal.
In August 2017, the Bombay High Court passed an interim order prohibiting the government of Maharashtra from allowing oxcart racing anywhere in the state. In October 2017, the Bombay High Court refused to cancel his stay, however, preventing the government of Maharashtra from granting authorization for ox-cart races, observing that the bulls were not anatomically designed to participate in races. and would be subjected to cruelty if used as a show animal.
Why did the government of Maharashtra go to SC?
In November 2017, the government of Maharashtra established a committee to study the running ability of various breeds of bulls and oxen in relation to horses. This was after the Bombay High Court refused to cancel the oxcart racing stay.
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The committee was tasked with studying the physiological and biochemical changes during running of bulls, oxen and horses. A report titled “Bull Running Ability” was prepared in two months by the then BJP-Sena government to justify the authorization of oxcart racing.
Subsequently, the government of Maharashtra challenged the Bombay High Court order in the Supreme Court in 2018 and acted on the matter. On Thursday, the SC authorized Maharashtra to hold ox cart races and the decision was welcomed by all political parties and ox cart racing enthusiasts.
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