MADURAI: Refusing to allow a petition seeking direction to permit a village committee to conduct Avaniyapuram jallikattu, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday reiterated that only revenue officials would be permitted to conduct the Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur jallikattu, considering their international importance.
Village committee members could be a part of the advisory committee, the court added.
A bench of justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan stated so while disposing of a petition filed by P Murugan, president of the Avaniyapuram Village Jallikattu Committee.
Murugan stated that jallikattu is a traditional sport, and the villagers are entitled to conduct the event themselves. Though there was some dispute in the previous years, the villagers, irrespective of caste, creed, and religion, jointly wished to conduct the event, he added. However, the judges said, considering the international importance attached to the three events, the officials are directly organising the three events, and the petitioner cannot make any independent request.