CoA lifts ban on animal sacrifice at a Kovil in Jaffna

The Court of Appeal (CoA) today lifted the ban imposed by the Jaffna High Courts against conducting any forms of animal sacrifices at a Hindu Kovil in Jaffna. The appeal was filed by senior lawyer K.V.S. Ganesharajah on behalf of  Narasimma Kovil in Kavunawatte, Jaffna where a court order was issued against annual feast of animal sacrifice.  

The Attorney General and the leadership of Saiva Maha Sabai were named as respondents. The CoA lifted the ban on the grounds of traditional religious beliefs of Hindus over animal sacrifice in temples and ordered respondents to pay for the cost. 

In 2017, then Jaffna High Courts Judge M.Elancheliyan held in a case against the annual sacrificial ceremony held at the Narasimma Kovil in Kavunawatte where several animals are sacrificed as deities to the gods. He ruled that killing of animals at a pious place like Kovil where thousands of devotees worship the Gods is a punishable offence.