National Desk
12 August
Tv10punjab
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a petition challenging the decision to transfer Mahadevi, a 30-year-old temple elephant from Kolhapur, to the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust at Vantara, Jamnagar. The petition was presented before a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, and Justice A.S. Chandurkar.
A lawyer requested urgent listing, claiming that the elephant was taken away from the temple forcefully. Mahadevi had been under the care of the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Bhattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, a Jain religious institution in Nandani village, Kolhapur, for over three decades. Her transfer to Jamnagar has sparked widespread protests, with thousands demanding her return.
In July, the Bombay High Court had dismissed a petition by the temple trust opposing the transfer, upholding a high-powered committee’s recommendation that the elephant’s welfare should be prioritized over religious customs. Later, on July 28, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice J.B. Pardiwala also dismissed an appeal against the High Court’s order and directed that the transfer be completed quickly to ensure the animal’s safety and comfort during travel.
The new petition once again challenges the High Court’s decision, keeping the issue alive in the country’s top court.