In a major relief to the organizers of Thrissur pooram, the Supreme Court has given eight weeks’ time to three states to respond to the notice issued on a public interest litigation filed by Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, Bengaluru, against parading elephants in temple festivals in the State. This eliminates the uncertainty about parading elephants for pooram. A Supreme Court bench has issued notice to the Kerala government as well as the Southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The bench headed by Justice Deepak Misra acknowledged the petition that said parading elephants in temple festivals accounts for cruelty. The bench observed that the issue must be treated with importance. MS Jaya, district collector of Thrissur had earlier said that the elephants will be paraded adhering to the guidelines of Animal Welfare Board of India. "Its in motion! Our Petition seeking the phasing out of the use and ownership of captive elephants was admitted by the Honourable Supreme Court of India this morning. Notices have been issued to all respondents and the Court has delinked this petition from the other cases clubbed earlier with it by the Hon. Bench who had heard our petition first. The Pooram Committee and the Elephant Owner's Association have filed impleading applications", informed WRRC's official facebook update.