Animal Welfare Board to withdraw plea against TN Jallikattu law

With news reports emerging that the AWBI has moved the Supreme Court challenging the new jallikattu law, the Board has now come out with a clarification.

In a statement, AWBI secretary M Ravikumar said no cases will be filed without the approval/decision of the board.

"The AWBI has no intention to challenge the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance 2017 and any petition already filed in its name will be withdrawn," he said.

"The board has received news reports and electronic media reports stating that the AWB moved the Supreme Court challenging the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, 2017 to conduct Jallikattu in the State of Tamil Nadu. If at all any petition has been filed challenging the ordinance on behalf of the AWBI, the same may be withdrawn immediately," he said.

Ravikumar wrote to the board's member and advocate Anjali Sharma to immediately withdraw the petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 (Tamil Nadu Ordinance 1 of 2017) on behalf of the AWBI, Sharma said she had the board's consent to file the paper.

"I have not filed any petition, I have only filed an interim application in the existing petition, with the full consent and authority of the AWBI," she said in an e-mail.

It may be noted that the Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Misra and Justice Rohinton F Nariman said that the court will take up the case probably on Monday (30 January).