Jallikattu being conducted by State; independent committees cannot organize it: Madras High Court

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has recently observed that the Jallikattu conducted at Avaniapuram, Alanganallur and Palamedu is of international importance.

This observation came to be made by the High Court while denying an independent request to grant permission for conduct of Jallikattu at Avaniapuram Village.

"Considering the international importance of the Jallikattu conducted at Avaniapuram, Alanganallur and Palamedu, the State itself is directly organizing the events. Therefore, the petitioner cannot have any independent request to grant permission for his Committee to conduct Jallikattu at Avaniapuram Village", the bench of Dr. Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan has said.

A Writ Petition was filed before the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to grant permission to the Avaniyapuram Village Jallikattu Committee and adequate police protection to conduct Jallikattu festival at Avaniyapuram Village, Madurai District on 15.01.2026 within stipulated time fixed by this Court.

One Murugan claiming himself as a President of Avaniyapuram village Jallikattu Committee approached court seeking mandamus to grant permission to the Avaniapuram Village Jallikattu Committee and adequate police protection to conduct Jallikattu festival at Avaniapuram village proposed to be held on 15.01.2026.

Additional Advocate General appearing for the official respondents submitted before High Court that as per the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act, 2009 and the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the Animal Welfare Department vide communication dated 21.11.2025, Jallikattu at Avaniyapuram was being organized by the Revenue Officials of the State with the assistance of villagers, who form part of the Advisory Committee.

Petitioner argued that atleast the Advisory Committee must consist of collective representation of all community in that village.

To this the Additional Advocate General submitted that the Advisory Committee was to be constituted as per the practice in previous years and also considering the guidelines of the High Court issued in a batch of writ petitions in W.P.(MD)No.526 of 2020 etc., dated 13.01.2020.

Accordingly, the bench disposed of the petition.

In 2023, the Supreme Court had upheld the validity of 2017 Tamil Nadu law for allowing bull taming sport 'Jallikattu', saying it has been going on for at least last few centuries in the state. A five-judge bench headed by Justice KM Joseph also similarly affirmed the validity of Maharashtra and Karnataka laws enacted in 2017 to allow bull carts race and 'Kambala' respectively.

"All the three bovine sports, after Amendment, assume different character in their performance and practice and for these reasons we do not accept the petitioners’ argument that the Amendment Acts were merely a piece of colourable legislation with cosmetic change to override judicial pronouncement. Once we read the amended Statutes withthe respective Rules or Notification, we do not find them to encroach upon the Central legislation," the bench had said.

The bench had dismissed a batch of writ petitions filed by Animal Welfare Board of India and others against the three state legislations for being violative of the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Constitution. "Jallikattu is a type of bovine sports and we are satisfied on the basis of materials disclosed before us, that it is going on in the State of Tamil Nadu for at least last few centuries. This event essentially involves a bull which is set free in an arena and human participants are meant to grab the hump to score in the “game”," it had further said.

Case Title: P Murugan vs. The District Collector, Collectorate, Madurai District.