Update: 12.40 pm IST: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for permitting the bull-taming sport Jallikattu, which was previously banned by the Supreme Court in Tamil Nadu.

Orignal Story: The Centre on Friday lifted the ban on controversial sport Jallikattu (bull-taming), which has been facing massive opposition, in Tamil Nadu.

Jallilkattu, which the Animal Welfare Board of India was attempting to keep banned on grounds of animal cruelty, has been permitted by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change even though the Supreme Court had ruled against it in 2014.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport Pon Radhakrishnan on Friday tweeted the Prakash Javadekar-led ministry gave permission for the sport which uses bovines and is played around Pongal.

Radhakrishnan tweeted: "Union Minister Prakash Javdekar called me now to give the good news that arrangement to conduct #Jallikattu in TN has been made. I thanked him over phone. I thank our PM Shri Narendra Modi for facilitating this to happen. I thank everyone who supported #Jallikattu. (sic)"

The sport was banned on grounds of animal cruelty and public safety as numerous deaths and injuries have been reported because of it.

The clauses mentioned in the notification dated 7 January by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which displays a selective sanctity for the Bos Taurus species by the Centre, are as follows:

  1. Bears, tigers, panthers, monkeys, lions and bulls will not be exhibited or trained as performing animals.
  2. Exception has been provided to the above-mentioned clause. Bulls will be used in cultural practices like Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races in certain states like Karnataka and Maharashtra.
  3. The cultural events will only be performed in districts where it has already been carrying on with the permission from the district magistrate or collector.
  4. Special tracks, not exceeding two kilometres, will have to be prepared for the races. And the bull will have to be tamed within a 15-metre radius for Jallikattu.
  5. The events will also be monitored by the District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and State Animal Welfare Board or District Authorities to ensure that no unnecessary harm is inflicted on the animal.
  6. The animals used will have to have good health for which the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department will test them, and no performance enhancement drugs can be administered to them.

The Animal Welfare Board of India intends to contest the notification legally, sources told The News Minute.