Madras HC Directs Police To Deny Nod For Bullock & Horse Cart Races On Highways If Public Danger Apprehended

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued strict directives regarding the conduct of bullock cart, horse cart, and rekla race races on National and state highways.

The Court has ordered the police authorities to reject permission for such events if there is any apprehension of danger to the public or disruption of normal life.

Importantly, a Bench of Justice C.V. Karthikeyan and Justice R. Sakthivel further directed that if safety conditions are flouted during these races, strict disciplinary action must be initiated against the police officials who cleared the event.

The Court passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by one Chandrabalan, who sought a writ of mandamus directing the authorities to strictly enforce previous order of the High Court and to completely prohibit bullock and horse cart races on National and State Highways.

The petitioner argued that such races pose a direct danger not only to the horses and bullocks themselves, but also to the participants, the spectators and onlookers, and more importantly, to the vehicles travelling on the National Highways.

While deciding the matter, the Bench observed that in an earlier 2023 order, the High Court had dismissed a public interest litigation seeking permission for a double bullock and horse cart race in a Taluk in Thanjavur district.

That rejection was based on a police report expressing serious apprehensions that the normal life of the local residents would be affected.

However, the bench further noted, this earlier order (of 2023) was not brought to the notice of a subsequent coordinate bench in 2024, which went on to issue directions permitting the conduct of such races.

To resolve this, the Court directed authorities to read both the orders (of 2023 and 2024) in conjunction:

“The authorities shall obtain necessary reports from the jurisdictional Station House Officer/Inspectors of Police of the concerned Police Stations and if any apprehension is expressed regarding danger to the public or disruption of normal public life, the authorities shall take a decision in accordance with the directions issued in W.P.(MD)No.29471 of 2023 and, where warranted, reject the request for permission”.

The bench added that if at all, permission is granted, the authorities must ensure strict compliance with the 2024 guidelines and obtain an indemnity bond from the organizers.

However, the bench also took note of grounds realities and said that more often than not, though permission is obtained and bonds are executed, such compliance remains only a formality and the conditions imposed are frequently violated.

Coming down heavily on administrative laxity, the High Court ordered that liability must be fastened onto the police officers who casually clear these events despite a lack of bona fides from the organizers.

“In such cases, apart from enforcing the terms of the bond, the Superintendent of Police of the concerned District shall also initiate an enquiry into the conduct of the Inspector of Police concerned, who recommended or granted permission and obtained the bond despite there being lack of bona fides on the part of the organisers, and take appropriate action in accordance with law”.

With these observations, the writ petition was disposed of.

Case Title: Chandrabalan v. The District Collector, Thanjavur District and others

Date of Order: June 30, 2026

Bench: Justice C.V. Karthikeyan and Justice R. Sakthivel