New Delhi, 10 March

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea against the holding of buffalo racing sport 'Kambala' in parts of Karnataka other than Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, asking why it should be restricted only to a particular area of the State.

The Kambala race, held in Karnataka between November and March, involves a pair of buffaloes tied to a plough and controlled by one person. They are made to run in parallel muddy tracks in a competition where the fastest team wins.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, challenging a 14 November order of the Karnataka High Court.

The high court had rejected the prayer to restrain the State from notifying any place outside the two districts of Dakshin Kannada and Udupi for holding Kambala.

"If they want to showcase the culture in different parts of the State, what is wrong? Let people in other parts of the State also familiarise themselves with the culture. Why restrict it to a particular area only?" Justice Mehta observed during the hearing.

The counsel appearing for PETA India referred to an affidavit filed earlier by the State in the apex court, which was then dealing with pleas concerning Kambala.

The counsel said in that affidavit that the State had submitted that it was a sport that was traditional in two coastal districts of Karnataka.

"It has nothing to do with the tradition and the culture in Bengaluru," the counsel argued, adding that now, the event is to be held at a ground in the State capital.

While dismissing the plea, the bench said, "One of these days, we may put some questions to PETA also".

In May 2023, a five-judge constitution bench of the apex court upheld the validity of the amendment acts of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, which allowed bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu', bullock-cart races, and buffalo racing sport Kambala, saying they were "valid legislation".

Jallikattu, also known as 'Eruthazhuvuthal', is a sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.