The Supreme Court today affirmed the verdict given by the Court of Appeal on the writ application filed against the animal sacrifices at the Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil in Munneswaram, Chilaw.

The trustees filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal judgment preventing animal sacrifices at any religious places of worship violating the law of the country delivered in respect of a writ application filed against the Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil in Munneswaram, Chilaw.

Court of Appeal in its judgment on August 29 also directed that it was compulsory to obtain a license to carry out animal sacrifices at any religious places of worship.

There was a strong public outcry from animal rights activists and religious circles against the animal sacrifices at the Kovil.

Sri Bhadra Kali Amman Kovil trustees M. Kanagaratnam, Kalimuttu Shivapakyasuntheram and Mahendra Samy filed application for special leave to appeal against the CA judgment.

The application cited Sri Bodhiraja Foundation, Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya, Dharmavijaya Foundation President Olcott Gunasekera, Ven. Bandirippuwe Vineetha Thero, Animal Welfare Trust Chairman Iranganie de Silva and its trustee Visakha Tillekaratne, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Association Vice President Lorraine Marguerite Bartholomeusz, Sri Lanka Animal Protection Secretary Sharmini Desiree Ratnayake, Sathva Mithra President Sagarica Rajakarunanayake and five others as respondents.

The IGP, Puttalam DIG, Chilaw SSP, Chilaw Police OIC, Chilaw UC, its Chairman, as well as All Ceylon Hindu Congress President and the Attorney General were also cited as respondents.