Telangana HC Directs State to Reconstitute Animal Welfare Board Without Delay
Recording the submissions, the Bench observed that if the Animal Welfare Board had not been reconstituted, the state government must ensure its constitution without any delay. The matter was adjourned and directed to be listed after four weeks for further hearing.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to ensure the constitution of the Telangana State Animal Welfare Board without delay, if the Board has not been reconstituted after the expiry of its three-year term following the constitution of the earlier Board in 2019.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin was hearing a writ petition filed by Humane Society International/India seeking strict enforcement of animal welfare laws governing pet shops and dog breeding centres across the state. The petitioner also sought directions for the reconstitution and effective functioning of the Telangana State Animal Welfare Board, whose term expired in 2022.
During the hearing, senior counsel Desai Prakash Reddy, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that although the state had stated in its counter affidavit that applications were invited in January 2025 for appointing non-official members, no concrete steps had been taken to reconstitute the Board. He further pointed out that the counter affidavit filed by the state municipal administration department, after a delay of over one year, contained contradictory statements, one claiming that the Board was functioning and another stating that it was yet to be constituted.
Additional advocate general Mohammed Imran Khan, appearing for the state, sought time to file an additional counter affidavit with clarifications, stating that the earlier affidavit did not clearly reflect the government’s position on the reconstitution of the Board. He informed the court that district societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals were functioning in all districts and that inspections of pet shops were being conducted.
Recording the submissions, the Bench observed that if the Animal Welfare Board had not been reconstituted, the state government must ensure its constitution without any delay. The matter was adjourned and directed to be listed after four weeks for further hearing.
