All you need to know about 'Jallikattu' issue

The Supreme Court on Thursday pronounced its verdict in the 'Jallikattu' case, upholding the 2017 amendments made by the Tamil Nadu government and allowing the traditional bull-taming sport.

Also Read | Supreme Court upholds Tamil Nadu law allowing 'Jallikattu'

The Court had reserved its judgement in the case on December 8 last year.

The court noted that 'Jallikattu' has been going on in the state for the last few centuries and the law passed by the state government took care of cruelty, if any, caused to the animals. "The Tamil Nadu law is a valid piece of legislation and there is no flaw in it," Justice Aniruddha Bose declared on the behalf of the bench.

The verdict overruled a 2014 SC judgement that banned the sport.

Here’s everything you need to know about the popular sport and the controversy surrounding it.

'Jallikattu' is a bull-taming sport highly popular in sections of Tamil Nadu. The districts of Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni, Pudukkottai and Dindigul form a 'Jallikattu' belt owing to the popularity of the sport in these regions. The sport is part of the Pongal harvest festival and is regarded as a celebration of nature, and thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, of which cattle-worship is part.

The sport involves bull tamers trying to tame bulls in order to win a prize. It is a violent sport where both the bulls and the tamers can incur serious injuries that, in some cases, can lead to deaths.

Animal right groups have, for a long time, expressed concerns over the violent nature of 'Jallikattu'.

According to the Indian Express, legal battles involving the sport date back to the 1990s. In 2007, the Animal Board of India and animal rights organisation PETA moved the Supreme Court against sports like 'Jallikattu' and bullock cart races.

In 2011, the Centre added bulls to the list of animals whose training and exhibition is prohibited. In May 2014, the Supreme Court banned the bull-taming sport, ruling on a petition that cited the 2011 notification.

In 2014, the top court banned the use of bulls for such events across the country. The two-judge bench of the court pointed out the 'cruelty' to which the animals are subjected to outlaw sports such as 'Jallikattu' and bullock cart racing. The court also dismissed a plea by the Tamil Nadu government against the 2014 verdict.

In January 2017, massive protests erupted across Tamil Nadu against the ban on the sport. The capital city of Chennai witnessed a 15-day-long 'Jallikattu' uprising in protest of the ban.

In 2017, Tamil Nadu amended the The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 to allow 'Jallikattu' in the state. The amending Act sought to preserve the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu, and to ensure the survival and well-being of the native breeds of bulls.

Thursday's judgement of the apex court upheld the same amendments by the Tamil Nadu government in 2017.