Mangaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday granted interim stay against organising of Kambalas in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts till November 26. The court had stayed a ban imposed on the sport earlier this month.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice K Somashekhar, hearing a PIL filed by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) strictly instructed not to organise Kambala till November 26. The counsel representing PETA brought to notice of the court that there had been 65 cases of ill-treatment of animals during the Kambala organised in 2014 and 2015. Giving an example of ‘Jallikattu’ sport banned in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, the advocate requested for a ban on Kambala in Karnataka.
Kambala is an old rural sport held in the twin districts from the past 300 years, said Senior advocate B V Acharya representing Kambala Samiti who argued in favour of permission to hold Kambala. The senior advocate further sought permission for Kambala as all the preparations are complete for the event to be held on November 26 and cancelling it would be a huge loss for the organizers.
The court has however granted interim stay against organising of Kambalas till November 26.
