An animal rights group today (July 31) filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the separation of two elephant calves from their mothers at Pinnawala Orphanage.

The petitioner seeks the annulment of the cabinet decision to donate the two calves to Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.

The minister of sports and public recreation and the Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa have been cited among the respondents.