SC to Review Stray Dog Rules, Hearing Fixed for January 7

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a three-judge special Bench, which was scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday, had been cancelled. Justice Nath said the case would now be taken up on January 7.

Sibal submitted that the MCD, in the meantime, had framed rules that were completely contrary to earlier directions of the court. He expressed concern that the authorities would begin implementing the rules in December itself, including removing stray dogs despite the absence of adequate shelters.

When the court said it would examine the issue on January 7, Sibal urged that the matter be heard earlier, stating that what was being done was “very inhuman”. Responding to this, Justice Mehta said that on the next date, the court would play a video and “ask you what is humanity”.

Sibal replied that the petitioners would also present video footage to show the ground situation, while reiterating that statutory rules were being implemented despite the pending challenge. The court, however, reiterated that the matter would be considered on January 7.

Earlier, on November 7, taking note of an “alarming rise” in dog bite incidents in institutional areas such as educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the apex court had directed the immediate relocation of stray dogs to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination. A three-judge special Bench had also directed that dogs so relocated should not be released back into the areas from where they were picked up.

The court had further ordered authorities to remove cattle and other stray animals from State highways, national highways and expressways, observing that repeated dog bite incidents in institutional areas reflected administrative apathy and a systemic failure to prevent avoidable hazards.