Supreme Court panel asked to consider rehabilitation of nine Assam elephants held in Tamil Nadu

The Gauhati High Court has tasked a Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) with evaluating the rehabilitation of nine elephants allegedly held illegally in Tamil Nadu. The High Court has also instructed the Tamil Nadu government to perform monthly inspections at the facilities housing the elephants and, until the HPC makes a final decision, take custody of those lacking proper nutrition and care.

Justice Devashis Baruah's order, issued on August 18, 2026, was based on Assam's petition filed in September 2022, which sought the release of an elephant named Joymala, also known as Jeymalyatha, after distressing videos of her being abused went viral. Assam leased Joymala out to Tamil Nadu in 2011 for a three-year period, and the elephant remains under the care of the Srivilliputhur Nachiyar Thirukovil temple in Tamil Nadu.

PETA India, an animal rights organization, requested the High Court to transfer the case to the HPC, headed by retired Justice Deepak Verma, to address matters such as ownership, transfer, and rehabilitation of captive elephants. The organization also sought the same relief for eight other elephants whose temporary transfers to Tamil Nadu had expired.

The court noted that the case originated from allegations of Joymala's torture at the Tamil Nadu temple, which PETA India had exposed. PETA India's vice president of policy, Khushboo Gupta, stated that the temple's treatment of Joymala reduced her to a "movable object" and was not in her best interest. The high court emphasized that using live elephants at temples when mechanical alternatives are readily available is both unnecessary and outdated.