HC seeks State’s response on granting permission to conduct bullock cart race

Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has sought response from the State to a public interest litigation petition that challenged a circular issued by the Director General of Police (DGP) imposing certain conditions for granting permissions to conduct bullock cart races.

A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and G. Arul Murugan sought response from the State to a petition ˆled by Tamil Nadu Parampariya Veera Vilayattu

Mattu Vandi Kaalaigal State Welfare Association president M. Kannan of Madurai. He said that the DGP has no power to issue the conditions mentioned in the circular. The petitioner said that as per Section 37 and 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 2016, only the Central and the State governments are empowered to impose conditions and to frame rules. Hence, the circular issued was ultra vires to the principal Act, he said.

Some of the conditions the circular are arbitrary, in impracticable to abide by and were not as per the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court imposed no restriction to conduct the bullock cart race on highways. However, the circular states the race should not be conducted on National or State Highways. The races are to be conducted preferably on village roads or any other mud track prepared on barren ˆelds. The condition was unreasonable and unenforceable as most of the roads in the villages in the State were converted to

State Highway petitioner said.

He said that the circular states that the bullock cart race should be completed within a maximum time of three hours. It was erroneous and inconsiderate of the practicality of conducting the event. The Supreme Court guidelines do not impose any such unreasonable condition, he said.

The regulatory authorities cannot legislate new rules, rather they can only act in furtherance of the existing rules and policies of the government, he said. roads, the