SC to deliver verdict on issue of strays in Delhi-NCR tomorrow

A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict in the suo motu case titled 'In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price', amid ongoing debate over its earlier directions on relocating stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region.  

As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria, which reserved its decision last week on relocating stray animals in Delhi and adjoining areas, will deliver its order on August 22. 

Earlier, a 2-judge Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan had directed municipal bodies across Delhi-NCR to immediately capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters. 

Citing serious concerns over public safety and the rising risk of rabies, the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench described the situation as "grim" and emphasised that urgent action was necessary to ensure the safety of children, women, and the elderly on the streets. 

Directing the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and civic agencies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to make the streets completely free of stray dogs, the two-judge bench of the apex court issued a stern warning that any organisation or group obstructing their removal would face strict legal action. 

It ordered these civic agencies to begin picking up all stray dogs in their jurisdictions and move them to designated shelters. 

The verdict on the relocation of the stray dogs to shelters in Delhi-NCR sparked an uproar from several quarters of society. Animal lovers across the country voiced their displeasure over the Supreme Court’s decision, taking to social media to express concern for the voiceless. 

Subsequently, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai constituted a 3-judge Bench as the order passed by the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench apparently conflicted with a 2024 apex court order that barred the killing of stray animals and emphasised compassion towards all living beings as an enshrined Constitutional value. 

Picture Courtesy: IANS