Tamil Nadu: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered the government to conduct Jallikattu competitions in the Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur areas of Madurai district.
Murugan of Avaniyapuram, Madurai, filed a petition with the Madurai Bench of the High Court:
Jallikattu, a traditional Tamil sport, is traditionally held in Avaniyapuram on the first day of the Thai month.
For over a century, the competition has been organized by villagers. In 2017, the Supreme Court allowed the resumption of Jallikattu competitions. Following this, farmers in the Thenkal Kanmai Irrigation District formed a new individual association, the Pradhan Jallikattu Association, to conduct the Avaniyapuram Jallikattu competition in 2018. Through this, only members of one family organized Jallikattu competitions. A petition was filed in the Madurai Bench of the Chennai High Court objecting to this.
In a High Court order, the Madurai District Administration was ordered to organize a Jallikattu competition and form a 16-member advisory committee. Following this, the District Administration is organizing the Jallikattu competition.
In this situation, we have submitted a petition to the District Administration requesting that the Village General Committee, comprising representatives from all communities in Avaniyapuram, be granted permission to organize the Jallikattu Competition scheduled for the 15th of this year. No action has been taken yet. The District Administration is making arrangements for the Jallikattu competition itself.
They requested that the Village Public Committee, comprising representatives from all communities in Avaniyapuram, be granted permission to organize the Jallikattu competition this year and that an order be issued.
Supreme Court Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan’s bench, which heard the petition on Wednesday, issued the following order:
Jallikattu is not an IPL game. Permission to hold this competition was granted after many difficulties. Many problems arose due to some individuals organizing it. Therefore, the government is right to hold Jallikattu competitions.
Jallikattu competitions held in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur are very famous worldwide. Therefore, holding separate competitions would not be appropriate.
Therefore, the government should hold Jallikattu competitions in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur in Madurai district. The judges said the case is being closed.
