The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has ordered that no private individual or religious institution should newly acquire elephants. “The time has now come to take a call if all such elephants now in captivity (both temples and privately owned) should be shifted to Government Rehabilitation Camps. The Secretary to Government, Environment and Forest Department may coordinate with the Secretary to Government, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Department in this regard,” the court further said.