The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a stay on government action regarding the issuance or renewal of licenses for privately owning and raising elephants.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain why issuing fresh elephant rearing licences and renewing existing licences causing cruelty to, and torturing of, elephants by elephant owners, trainers and others, for the purposes of performing in circuses/various social events or for street extortion should not be declared illegal.
In the rule, the court asked the authorities to show causes why a direction should not be issued to prevent torture of elephants in the name of training.
The HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque passed the order after the preliminary hearing of a writ seeking directive to stop issuing new elephant-rearing licences and renewing existing licences.
On February 18, People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, a non-profit organisaion working for animal rights, and actor Jaya Ahsan filed the writ petition as a public interest litigation with the HC seeking its directives to ban use of elephants in circus, other entertainment purposes.
The writ was filed alleging the use of elephants in circuses, various social functions and extorting money and the training of elephants through torture for these activities.
Barrister Saqeb Mahbub appeared for the writ petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state during hearing on the petition.
