Tamil Nadu Governor promulgated an ordinance for the conduct of jallikattu. The chief minister said that the government issued an ordinance after obtaining the necessary prior instructions of the President as envisaged under Article 213 of the Constitution.
CM Panneerselvam said the state government would introduce a bill replacing ordinance on Monday, the first day of the assembly session.
The Union government cleared the state’s draft ordinance to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, enabling the conduct of jallikattu.
The Union Home Ministry cleared the ordinance after the Law Ministry approved the draft ordinance proposed by the Tamil Nadu government to enable resumption of the ancient bull-taming sport of jallikattu.
Jallikattu, which sees young men wrestling with a bull in an open field during the harvest festival of Pongal, was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014.
Last year, the centre allowed the sport, but that decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court. Pongal was held in January. Hundreds of people who defied the ban to hold local competitions in parts of Tamil Nadu were arrested, triggering a massive backlash.
Ordinance making powers of the Governor:
Just as the President of India is constitutionally mandated to issue Ordinances under Article 123, the Governor of a state can issue Ordinances under Article 213, when the state legislative assembly (or either of the two Houses in states with bicameral legislatures) is not in session.
The powers of the President and the Governor are broadly comparable with respect to Ordinance making. However, the Governor cannot issue an Ordinance without instructions from the President in three cases where the assent of the President would have been required to pass a similar Bill.
