Supreme Court to hear plea on ban of cock fights in Andhra Pradesh tomorrow

New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a petition seeking stay on a recent order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to ban traditional cock fight games during the Sankranti festival as it violates the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

A bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu said the hearing was slated for Friday. The petition was filed by some people of the region including a social worker.

Earlier, the counsel said that cock fight, which was conducted for over a century was banned by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The CJI pointed out that the High Court had banned the games on the PIL, which had alleged that it was against the law safeguarding animals from torture.

Justifying cock fights, the petition said "In this festival season, all the family members who stay abroad gather at their hometowns for a period of five days. The cock fights are part of the tradition and culture, without which the festival loses its significance."

"These cocks are especially brought up in their family like sons for cock fight in the villages during the course of the year and waits for this Sankranti festival which is held for five days."

The petitioners further said if the traditional cock fight is stopped then a special breed of cocks fed and brought up for the purpose would "collapse" and this would not be in the interest of environmental science.

"Further, the audience who visits (sic) the state during the Sankranti festival from across the globe, comes to see the special breed of cock fight and if the same is not continued then the Sankranti festival looses its significance," the petitioner said.

They further claimed that during the last two years i.e 2012-13 nearly 3452 foreigners (NRI's) came to these district and spend nearly Rs 600 crores to see the cock fight and in 2013-14 nearly 3561 foreigners (NRI's) came and spend nearly Rs 634 crores.