CHENNAI: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the validity of the Tamil Nadu law allowing bull-taming sport "Jallikattu" in the state.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph, which delivered a unanimous verdict, also upheld the validity of the Maharashtra law allowing bullock-cart races.

"Jallikattu", also known "eruthazhuvuthal", is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.

The bench, also comprising justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, delivered its verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra laws allowing "Jallikattu" and bullock-cart races.

Minutes after the verdict, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy termed the verdict upholding the validity of 'Jallikattu' as "historical" and stated, "Our tradition and culture has been protected."