Kambala bill sent to President for assent

Bengaluru: A Bill passed recently by Karnataka Assembly to legalise traditional buffalo race "Kambala" and bullock cart races has been sent to the President for his assent, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said today.

"The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017 has been approved by the Governor. We have now sent it to President of India," Jayachandra told reporters here after a cabinet meeting.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, a central act, was amended in its application to Karnataka by the bill which was passed by the legislature earlier this month.

The bill was tabled after the clamour for Kambala grew, spurred by the success of pro-jallikattu (taming of bull) stir in Tamil Nadu.

The bullock cart races are held in parts of North Karnataka and Shivamogga and Kambala in the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

A Karnataka High Court division bench, headed by Chief Justice S K Mukherjee, had in November last year stayed holding of Kambala on a petition by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) challenging it in view of orders passed by the Supreme Court on jallikattu.

On January 30 last, the High Court had said it would await the Supreme Court verdict on jallikattu case. Kambala Committees and various Kannada outfits had recently held protests against the ban and demanded it be allowed.

Jayachandra also said the Karnataka Budget will be presented on March 15.

"What we have decided is that the session will begin on March 15 and will go on till March 28, it has to get approved by the Governor," he said.

Also among the decisions taken by the Cabinet today included revision of the tender estimates to the project to widen and develop the road between Windsor Manor Bridge to Hebbal Bridge under Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (city corporation) limits at a cost of Rs 27,52,03,156 in Bengaluru.