Court upholds bullock cart race ban in Maharashtra

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday continued its order restraining Maharashtra Government from issuing permission to organisers for conducting bullock cart races in the state.

The court said, "Prima facie, it was of the opinion that the state's amendment to Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act did not do away with an observation of the Supreme Court judgement passed in 2014, which said bullocks by nature cannot be categorised as animal performance, and making them run itself amounted to cruelty."

A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice NM Jamdar allowed the state to notify the rules framed to ensure no pain and suffering is caused to the animals during the races. It also laid down several restrictions on issuing permission, using sticks or any other material by the riders according to provisions 4,5, and 6 of the scheme. The distance of racing tracks and topography is also predetermined. It also said that no bullock is allowed to participate in more than three races per day.

The court, relying on the apex court judgement which made a classification between horse and bullock, noted, "Anatomy of bull is such that it cannot run. In other states bullocks are made to dance, like in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, but how can you train a bullock to run which is not its nature?" The court also indicated that the government should approach the apex court and get a clarification.