The Supreme Court of India on Thursday refused to accept Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s plea to allow state chief secretaries to attend proceedings virtually in the ongoing stray dogs case, directing that they must be physically present in court on November 3.
The case, taken up suo motu by the apex court, follows a surge in stray dog attacks and rabies cases across the country, particularly among children.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that several states and Union Territories had failed to comply with earlier directions.
“There is no respect for the court’s orders. Let the state chief secretaries come physically,” the bench remarked, rejecting requests for online participation.
The court’s strong stance came after repeated non-compliance with its August 22 order, which required states and UTs to submit affidavits detailing measures taken under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.
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The Bihar government had sought exemption for its chief secretary, citing the upcoming state assembly elections on November 6 and 11.
However, the bench dismissed the request, saying: “There is an Election Commission to take care. Don’t worry. Let the chief secretary come.”
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The court emphasized that administrative responsibilities cannot override compliance with judicial directives.
On October 27, the Supreme Court had criticized states for their inaction on the stray dogs issue, noting that recurring attacks were tarnishing India’s image abroad.
The bench had ordered all states and UTs — except West Bengal and Telangana — to ensure that their chief secretaries appear before the court on November 3 to explain delays in filing compliance affidavits.
The suo motu case was initially registered on July 28, following disturbing reports of rising stray dog attacks and rabies-related deaths, especially among children in Delhi and other states.
