Though the police have not yet received the apex court order, they are aware of its gist that the ban be continued on the bloody sport.
The Supreme Court ordered status quo in the case relating to cockfights organised during Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh state. It asked the state High Court to hear the case afresh.
A division bench comprising of Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice AK Sikri made this order in petitions filed by BJP leader Raghuramakrishna Raju and two others who challenged the High Court order on the issue.
The bench ruled that status quo be maintained till the High Court finally disposes off the case.
Interpreting the SC’s order officially, the Animal Welfare Board of India, under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, in a communication to the DGP of Andhra Pradesh, said: “It is brought to the notice of all concerned that the ban on cockfights is still in force and any violation of the ban will amount to a serious contempt of court.”
Animal Welfare Board secretary C Kalyana Sundaram said the SC in its judgment on May 7 last year directed that the person in charge or care of an animal shall not incite any animal to fight against a human being or another animal. This was a judgment issued in the case of Animal Welfare Board vs Nagarjaja and others.
Kalyana Sundaram said the SC had directed the High Court to hear afresh and pass a detailed order in the light of the May 7 judgment and that in the meantime status quo be maintained and that no cockfighting should take place. The SC has set aside last year December 29 HC order and after re-hearing the case, pass a detailed order. Meanwhile, senior advocate Anand Grover said the SC order directed that no cockfighting should take place since this is what the status quo is. “The status quo as of today is that cockfights are illegal and cannot be organised,” he said.
As there was confusion over the interpretation of what status quo is, at some places cockfighting was organised.
According to reports, at Gandigunta near Vuyuuru in Krishna district, cockfighting was going on when last reports came in. Cockfighting was going on under the glare of floodlights. In other districts, the police are getting their act together to ban the sport. In East Godavari and West Godavari districts, organisers are keen on conducting the annual event. They are interpreting the order of the Supreme Court as though it had allowed organising cockfighting because the SC said it had set aside the High Court order. Punters had even claimed it is their victory.
But the police say they would not allow the sport. Said West Godavari Superintendent of Police K Rahurami Reddy: “We have not received the Supreme Court orders. As of now, we are following the High Court’s direction that there should not be any cockfighting.”
Similar was the response of Krishna and Visakhapatnam SPs B Vijaya Kumar and Koya Praveen respectively.
In fact, the police have been patrolling the rural areas to curb cockfights. But organisers, mostly political leaders, have declared that they will go ahead with cockfighting claiming that the SC order was in their favour. Leaders of ruling Telugu Desam Party are upbeat as they can claim the credit for bringing back the traditional sport to life.
Rooster fights are common in West Godavari and East Godavari districts during Sankranti, which add colour to the festival. According to estimates, betting on cockfight involves around `100 crore to `400 crore. As the SPt has ordered raids on betting dens in the district, reports say the politicos are brining pressure on him.
Meanwhile, the Apex Court order is being interpreted by both parties — petitioners Raghuramakrishna Raju and two others and respondent authorities — as their victory.
The petitioners who challenged the High Court order claimed that the Apex Court has given green signal to the traditional cockfight games during Sankranti.
According to advocate S Rajender, there is no ban on cockfights in AP as on the date of High Court order. Even though if a ban is imposed by the government based on the High Court order, it cannot be maintained in view of the Supreme Court direction.
The Apex Court has categorically said that the order of the High Court which the authorities are referring to was set aside and remanded the case to the High Court to hear it afresh. In such circumstances, any orders or circulars issued with regard to cockfights will not be enforceable in view of the Supreme Court order.
Humane Society International/India representative Gauri Maulekhi, who intervened in the Supreme Court, to oppose the petition said: “We expect and hope that the government of Andhra Pradesh implements the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit, and that anybody who involves himself in such illegal activity is booked under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.”
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