Hearing petitions challenging the Supreme Court order to round up all stray dogs in Delhi and move them to shelter homes, a three-judge bench of the top court on Thursday questioned why authorities in several areas began picking up the animals even before the earlier order became public.
The apex court also reserved its order on the interim plea seeking a stay on the August 11 order of picking up strays from streets in Delhi NCR.
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria took up the matter this morning, days after the August 11 order by a two-judge bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan sparked a major row. The directive, which ordered the removal of strays from residential neighbourhoods, led to protests by animal lovers across the city.
Arguments on Safety, Rabies, and Shelter Availability
Appearing for the Delhi government, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta pointed to rising stray dog attacks on children, some resulting in rabies deaths. “Children are dying. Sterilisation does not stop rabies,” he said.
Mehta added, “No one hates animals. There are four poisonous species among 100. We don’t keep them at home. Dogs do not have to be killed; they have to be separated.”
Citing government data of 37 lakh dog bite cases last year, he said, “Parents cannot send their children out to play. Young girls are mutilated.” He argued that the solution is not in the rules. “The court has to intervene.”
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing an animal rights body, countered, “This is the first time I heard the Solicitor General saying that laws are in place, but they need not be followed. There are no shelters. The question is, has the municipal corporation built shelter homes? Now, dogs are picked up. This needs to be argued in depth. Let the suo motu order be stayed.”
The August 11 order by the other bench followed the court taking note of a news report on the rising cases of dog bites in Delhi.
