Kerala HC bans elephant transfers amidst allegations of illegal imports from Northeast

Guwahati, Sept 10: At a time when reports of illegal elephant transfers from the Northeast, including Assam, to Kerala, are making headlines, the High Court of Kerala has issued an interim order temporarily prohibiting the transfer of elephants from other states.

A division bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P. observed that inadequate care and treatment had led to the deaths of 154 captive elephants in Kerala between 2018 and 2024.

"The condition of captive elephants in Kerala is far from satisfactory and could even be termed 'pathetic,'" the Court remarked, while hearing a writ petition filed by the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Walking Eye Foundation for Animal Advocacy (WEFAA).

The Court's interim order also directs the state government and the Chief Wildlife Warden to refrain from issuing any permits for the transfer of elephants from outside the state, either under the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024 or by any other means.

The Court noted that Rule 7 of these Rules outlines specific conditions that the Chief Wildlife Warden may consider necessary for the elephant's upkeep, based on the case's circumstances. However, the Court found that the living conditions of captive elephants remain unsatisfactory.

Earlier in August, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) initiated an investigation into the alleged illegal procurement of elephants from the Northeast.

This probe was prompted by a complaint from Alok Hasarwala Gupta, Founder of the Centre for Research on Animal Rights, India, who reported that ten elephants were allegedly transported illegally from Arunachal Pradesh to Kerala via Assam.

Gupta also accused Omanakuttan Pillai, a infamous elephant trader with a history of wildlife crimes, of travelling through the northeastern states to acquire elephants for the Pooram Festival circuit in South India.

In response to the complaint, the WCCB had instructed its Eastern Unit to form a committee to thoroughly investigate the allegations and submit a detailed report.