Madras High Court Halts Proposal to Bring Baby Elephant to Tamil Nadu Temple

On October 29, 2025, the Madras High Court admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that questioned a proposal to bring a 5-7 year old baby elephant from Uttarakhand to the Nellaiyappar temple in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. The temple's previous elephant, Gandhimathi, had died earlier this year.

The PIL, filed by the NGO People for Cattle in India (PFCI), argued that the plan to donate a wild-born baby elephant to the temple is "abhorrent" and incompatible with the compassionate spirit of Lord Shiva, in whose abode the temple stands. The petition warned that this would lead to a lifetime of captivity and 60 years of silent suffering for the elephant.

The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the Union government, Tamil Nadu government, and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to respond to the PIL. While the Uttarakhand forest department was also named as a respondent, the court refused to issue a notice to them at this stage.

During the hearing, the judges noted that Tamil Nadu has seen a considerable growth in its elephant population, with over 100 elephants recorded annually, which is considered a good number. They also recalled instances of elephants encroaching into human habitats in Chhattisgarh due to the destruction of their natural habitats, including large-scale mining.

Responding to the PIL, Advocate General P.S. Raman stated that the proposal to bring the elephant is still in the preliminary stage, and the Uttarakhand government has not yet committed to providing one.