CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA B.R. GAVAI today said he would look into the ongoing issue relating to community dogs after an advocate pointed out that different benches of the Supreme Court had issued conflicting directions.
Advocate Nanita Sharma, appearing for the NGO Conference for Human Rights (India), told a bench headed by CJI Gavai that a May 2024 order by Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol barred indiscriminate killing of canines and stressed compassion under existing laws, while a recent August 11 order by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan directed Delhi-NCR civic bodies to remove all stray dogs from public spaces within eight weeks and house them in dedicated shelters, with no release back on the streets.
A contradiction between the August 11 and the May 2024 orders
The May, 2024, order had relegated stray dog petitions to High Courts, noting, “Under all circumstances, there cannot be any indiscriminate killings of canines and the authorities have to take action in terms of the mandate and spirit of the prevalent legislation(s) in place.”
