New Delhi, August 14 (HS): A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Vikram Nath, has reserved its judgment in the matter concerning stray dogs after hearing arguments from all parties involved.

Earlier, on August 11, a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala had issued stringent directions to the Delhi Government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and other relevant authorities in the NCR to clear public roads and streets of stray dogs.

Justice Pardiwala’s bench had ordered that all stray dogs be picked up and shifted to designated dog shelter homes, starting with 5,000 dogs within the first six weeks. The court warned that if any dog lovers or organisations obstructed this process, the matter should be reported to the court, which would initiate contempt proceedings against them.

The bench had further directed all NCR authorities to immediately establish dog shelters and report back to the court within eight weeks. Adequate personnel were to be deployed for sterilisation, and no dogs were to be released back into public places. CCTV surveillance was also mandated to monitor compliance.

Justice Pardiwala had emphasised that these orders must be implemented strictly, noting: “Newborns and small children cannot be left vulnerable to rabies. People must have the assurance that they can move freely without fear of stray dog attacks.”

The ruling sparked significant opposition from animal rights activists. On August 13, an advocate mentioned the matter before the Chief Justice, pointing out that a Delhi High Court decision on stray dogs had been challenged in the Supreme Court and was still pending. He also drew attention to the fact that different Supreme Court benches have issued differing orders on the issue. The Chief Justice subsequently assured that the matter would be considered.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar