The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the validity of the Tamil Nadu law allowing bull-taming sport “Jallikattu” played as part of the Pongal harvest festival in the state. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph, which delivered a unanimous verdict, also upheld the validity of the Maharashtra law allowing bullock-cart races.

The bench, also comprising justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, delivered its verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra laws allowing “Jallikattu” and bullock-cart races. The DMK lauded party chief M K Stalin-led dispensation for the favourable judgment, saying it was possible due to the government placing “good” arguments in support of jallikattu in the court.