Home / Crime and Justice / Kerala HC Orders Elephant Census Within Two Weeks
Kerala HC Orders Elephant Census Within Two Weeks
3 Nov
Summary
- Court mandated district collectors to gather elephant details.
- Information must include elephant name, registration, and owner.
- This directive aims to address gross abuse and mismanagement.
The Kerala High Court has issued a directive for a swift census of all captive elephants across the state. District collectors are tasked with gathering specific details for every elephant within their jurisdictions, utilizing village officers for this purpose, and must complete this collection within two weeks from November 3, 2026. The information required includes each elephant's name, registration number, owner's details, ownership certificate specifics, and the name of the person currently possessing the animal, along with any identifying features like microchips.
Following the initial collection, district collectors must submit these compiled details to the chief wildlife warden within one week. Subsequently, the chief wildlife warden will compile this comprehensive data and present the final report to the court within another week. This judicial intervention stems from petitions highlighting severe allegations of abuse, torture, and mismanagement of captive elephants, affecting those owned by devaswoms, religious institutions, and private individuals alike.
The court underscored that the humane treatment of captive animals is a fundamental aspect of civilized society, extending beyond mere legal requirements. It asserted that ensuring the welfare of captive animals is a systemic responsibility that cannot solely rely on individual complaints or litigation. The ultimate aim is to gain control over the situation by ensuring statutory requirements are met, beginning with an accurate and up-to-date registry of all captive elephants in Kerala.
