Stray dogs case: Supreme Court to take up matter again on January 7

Responding to a petitioner in the stray dogs case who objected to some rules framed by the Delhi municipal corporation saying "inhuman" treatment was being meted out to them, the Supreme Court on Thursday said a video will be played in the next hearing, "asking you what is humanity".

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is appearing in the stray dogs case, told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a three-judge special bench which was scheduled to assemble on Thursday to hear the matter was cancelled.

"It will come on January 7," Justice Nath said.

Sibal said, "The problem is that the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), in the meantime, has framed some rules which are completely contrary".

When the bench said it would consider the matter on January 7, Sibal said the authorities will implement the rules in December itself. "They will be implementing it and they will be removing the dogs. They don't have shelters," he said.

Justice Nath said, "It is alright Mr Sibal. Let them do it, we will consider."  Sibal urged the bench to hear the matter on Friday saying the authorities don't even have dog shelters. "It is very very inhuman what is being done," he said.

Justice Mehta told Sibal, "On the next date, we will play a video for your benefit and we will ask you what is humanity".

Sibal responded that they will also play a video to show what was happening.

"The problem is your lordships has passed an order and we respect that. But the point is, there are statutory rules," he said.

The bench said it would consider the matter on January 7.

On November 7, taking note of the "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the apex court directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.

A three-judge special bench had also said the stray dogs so picked up shall not be released back in the place they were picked up from.

The bench had directed the authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways and expressways.

It had said recurrence of dog bite incidents within institutional areas, including sports complexes, reflected not only administrative apathy but also a "systemic failure" to secure these premises from preventable hazards.

The top court had passed a slew of directions in the suo motu case over the stray dog menace.

It is hearing a suo motu case, initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.