Court of Appeal sets aside Jaffna HC order prohibiting animal sacrifices

The Court of Appeal yesterday set aside the judgment of the Jaffna High Court which prohibited the animal sacrifice ritual in the Northern Province for the last three years.

The bench which comprised Justices Mahinda Samayawardhana and Kumudini Wickramasinghe also dismissed with costs of Rs 50,000 the writ application in the High Court. In 2016, a writ application was filed in the Jaffna High Court by Ahila Ilakai Saiva Maha Sabai of Kokuvil, Sivakolunthu Sothimuthu seeking an order prohibiting the animal sacrifice ritual in the Northern Province.

The High Court of Jaffna by its judgment dated 24/10/2017, prohibited the animal sacrifice ritual in the respective temples in the Northern Province. It granted a writ of prohibition restraining the respondents in that case or any other persons authorised by them from issuing permits to carry out the slaughter of animals and fowls in temple premises during a temple festival in their jurisdiction.

The President/ trustee of Kavunavathai Narasinga Vairavar Temple Paripalana Saba of Karukampanai, Sinnathurai Pushparajah contesting the said judgment filed a revision application in the Court of Appeal citing Ahila Ilakai Saiva Maha Sabai of Kokuvil, Sivakolunthu Sothimuthu, Valigamam North Pradeshiya Sabha, its secretary and three others as respondents.

K.V.S.Ganesharajah with Sarah George and Deepiga Yogarajah appeared for the appellant. Luxmanan Jeyakumar appeared for Ahila Ilakai Saiva Maha Sabai. Senior State Counsel Manohara Jayasinghe appeared for the State. (S.S.Selvanayagam)