Thu Dec 19 13:33:45 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Stays Kerala High Court Restrictions on Elephants in Temple Festivals
**KOCHI, December 19, 2024** – The Supreme Court has granted a stay on Kerala High Court restrictions limiting the use of elephants in temple festivals, bringing relief to organizers and elephant owners. The High Court’s guidelines, deemed impractical by festival organizers, included maintaining a three-meter distance between elephants during parades, specific crowd control measures, and restrictions on parade times. These regulations, according to the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms, the main organizers of the Thrissur Pooram festival, made the event’s traditional conduct impossible.
G. Rajesh, secretary of the Paramekkavu Devaswom, stated the Supreme Court’s decision was a significant relief, allowing the festival to proceed according to established traditions. Similarly, representatives from the Thiruvambady Devaswom highlighted the difficulties in implementing the High Court’s strict guidelines on elephant spacing, torch distances, and spectator buffers. The High Court also prohibited elephant parades on public roads between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
G. Krishnaprasad, president of the Kerala Elephant Owners’ Association, argued that the restrictions fundamentally altered the nature of traditional festivals and alleged that animal rights advocates supporting the restrictions were receiving external funding. The Supreme Court’s stay ensures the continued participation of elephants in the Thrissur Pooram and similar festivals, at least until further legal proceedings.
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