SC declines urgent hearing on plea against MCD order to round up stray dogs

The Supreme Court, on August 11, ordered the authorities in Delhi-NCR to start removing stray dogs from all localities 'at the earliest' and relocate them to shelters

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant an urgent hearing on a plea challenging a notification issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) regarding the rounding up of stray dogs, reported news agency PTI.

 

Advocate Nanita Sharma mentioned the matters before the apex court, submitting that the MCD notification was issued despite the court having reserved orders in related proceedings.

 

However, a Bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi declined to entertain the request.

 

What's the case?

 

The Supreme Court, on August 11, ordered the authorities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) to start removing stray dogs from all localities “at the earliest” and relocate them to shelters.

 

The order required the creation of shelters with an initial capacity of 5,000 dogs within eight weeks. It also mandated sterilisation, immunisation, de-worming, CCTV monitoring of the canines, along with a helpline to report dog bites and the capture of the dogs within four hours of a complaint. 

 

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, while passing the order, observed that the menace of dog bites violates the fundamental rights of citizens under Articles 19(1)(d) and 21, reported Bar and Bench. The court also prohibited the re-release of captured animals on the streets, cautioning animal rights activists against “virtue signalling” and warning that obstructing municipal action would amount to contempt.

 

The ruling drew protests from animal rights groups and dog lovers, after which a new three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria heard the petitions challenging it and reserved its order.

 

While reserving the order, the top court slammed the local authorities, stating, "This is happening because of the inaction of the Municipal Corporation. The government does nothing. The local authorities do nothing".