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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 19 March 2025

Home / UPSC / Current Affairs / Supreme Court Ruling on participation of elephants in festivals

Supreme Court Ruling on participation of elephants in festivals

Why in News:

The Supreme Court of India observed that the use of elephants in temple festivals is a cultural tradition while balancing concerns over animal welfare under the Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012.

Supreme Court Ruling on participation of elephants in festivals

Introduction

  • The Supreme Court of India observed that the use of elephants in festivals is an integral part of the country’s culture.
  • A Bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma made this observation while hearing a petition filed by the NGO Vishwa Gaja Seva Samithi, which challenged a Kerala High Court judgment on January 13 concerning the treatment of captive elephants in religious festivals, particularly in Kerala temples.

Petitioners' Concerns and Allegations

  • The NGO, represented by senior advocate Vikas Singh and advocate Narender Kumar Verma, sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to review what it termed “impractical directions and biased observations” made by a Special Bench of the High Court.
  • The petition stressed the need to safeguard Kerala’s traditional temple festivals, including Ezhunnellippu, within the bounds of constitutional protections.
  • The NGO further alleged that several animal rights activists and NGOs, particularly those receiving foreign funding, were attempting to disrupt Hindu temple rituals under the pretext of animal welfare.
  • It requested an inquiry into the foreign funding of these organizations, asserting that they were working to undermine religious traditions.

Cultural Significance of Elephants in Kerala

  • The petitioners emphasized that elephants hold a sacred status in Kerala’s Hindu religious traditions, symbolizing strength, divinity, and prosperity.
  • They highlighted that many temples own elephants, often donated by devotees, and that elephants play a crucial role in temple rituals and processions.
  • Additionally, the petition pointed out that Kerala’s state emblem features two elephants facing each other, reinforcing their deep-rooted cultural significance.

Category

Details

India’s Elephant Population

29,964 (as per 2017 census by Project Elephant)

Global Population Share

~60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants

States with Highest Population

1. Karnataka 2. Assam 3. Kerala

IUCN Red List Status

Asian Elephant: Endangered

African Forest Elephant: Critically Endangered

African Savanna Elephant: Endangered

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)

Asian Elephant: Appendix I

African Forest Elephant: Appendix II

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

Asian Elephant: Schedule I

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

Asian Elephant: Appendix I

African Savanna Elephant: Appendix II

Court's Observations and Response

  • Justice Nagarathna acknowledged the concerns raised by the petitioners and remarked that “the use of elephants in festivals is part of our culture.”
  • Despite the concerns raised, the Supreme Court refused to transfer the case from the Kerala High Court, stating that the High Court was already handling the matter under the guidelines of the Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012.
  • The Bench also questioned whether the transfer petition was merely an attempt to shift the case outside Kerala. Consequently, the devaswoms chose to withdraw their plea.

Balancing Tradition and Animal Welfare

  • The Supreme Court has previously sought to balance cultural practices with animal rights. In December 2024, it directed temple authorities to strictly comply with the 2012 Rules while staying any conflicting directions issued by the Kerala High Court.
  • However, the High Court, in its January 13 judgment, reiterated that festival organizers must ensure “sufficient space” between elephants during processions to comply with the Rules.
  • As the legal proceedings continue, the case highlights the ongoing debate between preserving religious traditions and ensuring the ethical treatment of captive elephants, particularly in Kerala’s grand temple festivals.

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