3-judge SC bench to hear afresh issue of strays in Delhi-NCR

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) A 3-judge Bench of the Supreme Court was notified on Wednesday to consider afresh the issue of relocating stray dogs in Delhi-NCR.

As per the causelist on the website of the apex court, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria will take up the suo moto case titled "In Re: 'City hounded by strays, kids pay price'" on Thursday.

In the same suo motu matter, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan on Monday had directed municipal bodies across Delhi-NCR to immediately capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters.

Citing serious concerns over public safety and the rising risk of rabies, the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench described the situation as “grim” and emphasised that urgent action was necessary to ensure the safety of children, women, and the elderly on the streets.

Directing the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council), the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), and civic agencies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to make the streets completely free of stray dogs, the two-judge bench of the apex court issued a stern warning that any organisation or group obstructing their removal would face strict legal action.

It ordered these civic agencies to begin picking up all stray dogs in their jurisdictions and move them to designated shelters.

The verdict on the relocation of the stray dogs to shelters in Delhi-NCR sparked an uproar from several quarters of society. Animal lovers across the country voiced their displeasure over the Supreme Court’s decision, taking to social media to express concern for the voiceless.

Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai said the Supreme Court would "look into" the issue after a lawyer mentioned a plea on the sterilisation and vaccination of community dogs in Delhi.

The lawyer also referred to a 2024 apex court order passed by a Justice J.K. Maheshwari-led Bench that barred the killing of stray animals and emphasised compassion towards all living beings as an enshrined Constitutional value.

"But the other judge Bench has already passed orders. I will look into this," CJI Gavai told the lawyer.

--IANS

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