New Delhi, Aug. 19 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to take steps for ensuring the well-being of captive elephants prescribing their mandatory medical check up and constant monitoring after being told that more than half of the over 2700 captive elephants in the country remain in possession of private individuals.

Emphasising the need for checks and balances to be put in place to ensure captive elephants are not treated with cruelty, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant entrusted the Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (CEHWC) constituted by the Centre under Project Elephant to take up the matter with states and establish elephant clinics.

"Our present concern is not with regard to o...