The Supreme Court on Thursday, August 21, refused to urgently list a plea challenging a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) circular on the pick-up of stray dogs across the capital, intensifying debate over the fate of thousands of animals in Delhi-NCR.
The matter was mentioned before a bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, which declined the urgent listing, stating that a larger bench led by Justice Vikram Nath was already seized of the overarching issue. “In reserved cases, we can’t…,” Justice Maheshwari noted, underscoring that the new application was connected to an ongoing writ petition on stray dogs.
This follows Justice Vikram Nath’s bench reserving orders on August 14 regarding pleas seeking to stay an August 11 directive by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan. That order mandated the immediate removal of 5,000 stray dogs from Delhi-NCR within six to eight weeks, barring them from returning to public spaces. Authorities were also directed to create shelters and ensure sterilisation, deworming, and immunisation under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
During the August 14 hearing, Justice Nath expressed serious concern that authorities had begun capturing dogs even before the order was officially uploaded. “Local authorities are not doing what they should be doing. They should be here taking responsibility. Everyone who has come here to file intervention should take responsibility,” the judge remarked sharply.
The hearing also saw compelling arguments from senior advocates including Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal, representing petitioners raising legal and procedural concerns over the MCD’s implementation strategy.
The MCD has reported picking up over 100 strays, converting 20 Animal Birth Control centres into shelters, and earmarking an 85-acre site at Ghoga Dairy for larger facilities. Despite these steps, the order has sparked intense street protests, political backlash, and strong opposition from animal rights groups, with PETA India calling it “impractical, illogical, and illegal.”
