The Kerala High Court has taken decisive action by initiating civil contempt proceedings against an officer from the Cochin Devaswom Board associated with the Thripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesha Temple. This legal move comes after allegations surfaced that the temple had paraded elephants in direct violation of the court’s established guidelines.
Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P, presiding over the bench, were prompted to act due to unsatisfactory explanations provided by the temple officer, who had failed to adhere to strict regulations during the temple’s annual festival. This lapse was highlighted during a plea concerning executive and legislative inaction towards protecting the rights of captive elephants.
During the festival held on December 2, the court had demanded that the officer explain the apparent disregard for guidelines that require maintaining a specified distance between elephants to ensure their safety and well-being. The same day, the Forest Department lodged a formal complaint against temple officials for their failure to comply with these safety measures.
This case is part of a broader scrutiny by the Kerala High Court into how the state government handles animal rights, with a particular focus on captive elephants. The issue has sparked significant concern among conservationists and animal rights advocates.
