NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings in the Madras High Court on a plea seeking a direction to former apex court Judge K S Radhakrishnan, who in 2014 had delivered a judgment banning bull-taming festival of Jallikattu, to return the award given to him by animal rights’ body PETA.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana sought a reply from Salai Chakrapani, who had filed a petition in the High Court on an appeal by the former judge who sought the stay of the High Court notice to him on the issue.Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the former judge, submitted that he had become a private person after retirement and assailed the order issuing notice to him.
The petitioner had alleged that since a Bench headed by Justice Radhakrishnan had banned use of bulls in Jallikattu in May 2014 on petitions by the Animal Welfare Board of India, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and others, he had committed constitutional impropriety by receiving PETA’s ‘Man of the Year’ award in 2015.
Justice Radhakrishnan, in his petition, said that the proceedings was initiated without proper application of mind to the provisions of the Constitution and Judges Protection Act. The HC had issued notice to the ex-judge on January 31.