KOCHI: The Kerala High Court said that it is arrogant for humans to use elephants for processions in festivals. A division bench of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice P Gopinath said that if the whale living in the sea could be used for processions, it would have been caught too. The court also said that guidelines will be issued for using elephants in processions. The court was hearing a petition related to the prevention of violence against animals.

"Think about the condition of elephants who are unable to move with their legs tied together. Can a human stand like this for five minutes? All this are not customs," the court said. Mookambika is a shaktipeetham. There is no elephant, only the chariot drawn by the devotees. The stubbornness of the temple committees is behind the elephant procession. It is said that the biggest elephant will be brought if someone is made the festival committee president.
An amount of Rs 54 lakh was spent on the elephant procession in the last festival at the Ernakulam temple. There is no space to move around in the Valanjambalam temple but three elephants were brought for the festival there. Time constraints are required for elephant processions. The elephant procession happens in the scorching weather. An order regarding the new rules will be issued for this. The number of elephants should be reduced. Those who spend lakhs of rupees on elephant processions should also make necessary arrangements for it," the court said.
The case will be heard again on November 4. The court also asked the stakeholders to submit their opinions on the guidelines before that.