The Tuesday’s notice comes a few weeks after the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs asked chief secretaries in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to take precautionary measures as the date of the festival nears during which at least a quarter of a million animals are sacrificed. Almost 70 percent of them are brought from India as devotees from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh flock to Barayapur in Bara district for the month-long festival. The two-day sacrificial ritual falls on November 28 and 29.

While the decision is yet to come, Indian activist Gauri Maulekhi, who filed the petition, said they were positive. “Historically, the opinion of the Indian judiciary has always been in support of compassion towards animals and we hope for the same will be re emphasised on Friday when the matter will be heard again,” she told the Post.

“Activists and government together will help implement whatever order is now given by the apex court on Friday.”

Maulekhi also said they are working closely with activists in Nepal who fully supported their effort on the other side of the border.  

Animal Welfare Network Nepal said they will also file a petition at the Supreme Court in the coming days and lobby different ministries to stop animal cruelty in the name of sacrifice.

“We are doing our homework now and seeing what is the best way to approach this legally,” said Shristi Singh Shrestha, one of the advocates of the campaign. Activists have maintained that they don’t intend to “antagonise the people but work with them to put an end to the ritual.”

Earlier, Ram Chandra Shah, chairman of Gadhimai festival organising committee, had expressed doubts over the steps taken by activists, saying that it is about cultural sentiments and beliefs which are hard to change.

The festival is observed every five years in honour of goddess Gadhimai in southern Nepal. Along with buffaloes, animals such as rats, snakes, pigeons, chicken, ducks, goats and sheep are slaughtered to appease the goddess as devotees believe that the sacrifice will bring them prosperity.

The Nepali government has not come up with its position yet. While animal sacrifice is banned in India, there is no such provision in Nepal.