The Supreme Court today referred to a Constitution bench a batch of petitions challenging Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu Act permitting the bull-taming sport.<br/><br/> The Constitution Bench has been asked to decide whether jallikattu is a cultural right, and whether states can claim protection under Article 29 of the Constitution – which ensures the protection of interests of minorities. <br/><br/>The Bench will also examine whether the Tamil Nadu government had the legislative competence to make amendments and bring in a new law. <br/><br/>On January 23rd, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2017, exempting jallikattu from the purview of penalty under rules for the list of performing animals. <br/> ' <br/>The Supreme Court had banned jallikattu in May 2014. The court held that bulls cannot be used as performing animals either for jallikattu or for bullock cart races anywhere in the country. <br/><br/>Following this, the central government had passed a notification exempting Jallikattu from the law, which was later stayed by the apex court.