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Amid uproar, SC to again hear Delhi dogs case with larger bench today
The decision to refer the matter to a larger bench comes after major public uproar and backlash following the first SC order.
The Supreme Court has formed a larger bench to hear the matter after an order for blanket “removal” of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR led to a major uproar. The hearing before the three-judge bench is set for Thursday, August 14.
The listing came just a few hours after the issue was mentioned before the Chief Justice, BR Gavai, in open court, to which he said, “I will look into it.”
On August 11, a two-judge bench ruled that all strays be removed and shifted to shelters, and set its next hearing for four weeks later. The matter, however, is now set to be heard by a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria.
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In the two-judge bench's order, the SC told authorities to round up stray dogs, starting with 5,000 in the next six to eight weeks. The order further stated that under no circumstances should the dogs be released back onto the streets.
“The stray dogs shall be captured, sterilized, dewormed and immunized as required by Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023,” read the detailed order uploaded on the SC website on Wednesday.
Uproar over ‘remove all strays’ order
The decision to refer the matter to a larger bench came after major public uproar against the two-judge bench's order. Several politicians, celebrities and animal rights activists argued that the issue could be addressed using longer-term but more effective, scientific methods such as sterilisation, vaccination, and community care for the strays.
Four members of the Gandhi family – Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, their cousin Varun Gandhi and his mother Maneka Gandhi, who is among India's most prominent animal rights activists – expressed their concerns.
In a post on X, Lok Sabha leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi wrote: “Blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted and strip us of compassion.. These voiceless souls are not ‘problems’ to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination and community care can keep streets safe — without cruelty… We can ensure public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand."
Several dog lovers, animal rights activists and other protestors were detained near India Gate in Delhi while protesting against the order the same night.
The order was also termed as "impractical, illogical, and illegal" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
