Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Wednesday agreed to examine a plea filed by an NGO challenging a Delhi High Court order on stray dogs in the National Capital Region. The matter was mentioned before the CJI for urgent listing by counsel for the petitioner, Conference for Human Rights (India).
CJI Gavai said, “But the other judge Bench has already passed orders. I will look into this.”
The plea is connected to another case already pending before the Supreme Court concerning the sterilisation of stray dogs.
The CJI’s comments come in the backdrop of widespread criticism over the Supreme Court’s directive instructing authorities to round up thousands of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks and place them in designated shelters. His statement also follows growing concern from animal rights activists, who have argued in recent days that the court-mandated action is not in line with the law.
SC Order On Stray Dogs
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed civic 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 MCD, NDMC, and civic agencies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to make the streets completely free of stray dogs, the top court issued a stern warning that any organisation or group obstructing their removal would face strict legal action.
The Supreme Court has ordered these civic agencies to begin picking up all stray dogs in their jurisdictions and move them to designated shelters. If such shelters do not already exist, the authorities have been asked to construct them without delay and submit a report on the infrastructure to the apex court within eight weeks.
Political Reaction
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, has condemned the Supreme Court’s directive, calling it a step backward from decades of humane, science-backed policy.
In a post on X, LoP Gandhi said, “The SC’s directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy.”
The Congress leader argued that blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip society of compassion.
He added, “These voiceless souls are not ‘problems’ to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination, and community care can keep streets safe, without cruelty. Blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion. We can ensure public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand.”
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticised the apex court’s order, saying that dogs are among the most beautiful and gentle creatures and do not deserve such cruelty.
In a post on X, she said, “The moving of all the city’s stray dogs to shelters within a matter of weeks is going to result in horrendously inhumane treatment of them. Enough shelters do not even exist to take them on. As it is animals in urban surroundings are subjected to ill treatment and brutality. Surely there is a better way to manage the situation and a humane way can be found in which these innocent animals are looked after and kept safe as well. Dogs are the most beautiful, gentle creatures, they do not deserve this kind of cruelty.”
