High Court Castigates Andhra Pradesh On Cock-Fights

Expressing anger at Andhra Pradesh for allowing cock fights on the occasion of Sankranthi despite an order passed by it in December 2016 banning them, the Hyderabad High Court summoned Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar and DGP Malakondaiah in person before the Court on January 29.

The court also expressed its anger at the CS and DGP not filing an action-taken report by January 22 on the issue as sought by the court on January 4.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by a Ramachandra Raju over rampant cock fighting in West Godavari district on the occasion of Sankranthi. The petitioner had complained that the cock fights, illegal liquor sale and prostitution were rampant in the district during the festival period.

The court concurred saying that the visuals of cock fights were all over the news channels on TV, with even elected representatives seen among the organizers and supporters. It was a flagrant violation of the rule of law, and lack of respect for the court, the court said.

The lawyers for the AP government said that the CS and DGP were busy with a Collectors' conference which was why they could not file the report by January 22 as sought by the court, which led to the judges commenting that that was not their problem.

The court said that if the CS and DGP could not handle the issue, the court would tackle it itself.