The legal hurdles for the continuation of Kambala — the traditional slush-track buffalo race of the coastal districts of Karnataka — are cleared with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017, finally getting the Presidential assent.
The Bill, which exempts Kambala from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, was passed in the legislature session held in November 2017 and sent for Presidential assent.
The Bill allows to hold traditional sports event like Kamabla, bull race or bullock cart race towards preserving and promoting the culture of the state.
The President gave his assent to the Bill on February 10 and the Ministry of Home Affairs sent a detailed communication to the state government in this regard on February 19, said sources.
It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had refused to grant an interim stay on kambala after hearing a petition filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on February 12. A bench comprising A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, however, had fixed March 12 for a final hearing on the plea by animal rights body PETA in the matter. PETA has opposed the upcoming Kambala festival on grounds of cruelty to animals.
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