The Supreme Court will on Monday (November 3) hear the suo motu case on stray dog management across the country.
It has directed the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories except West Bengal and Telangana to appear personally before the court.
A special bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria will hear the matter.
The bench had earlier expressed displeasure over several states and UTs failing to comply with the court’s directions to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
During the last hearing on October 27, the Supreme Court strongly criticised most state governments for not filing compliance affidavits despite clear orders issued on August 22.
It noted that only West Bengal, Telangana, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had submitted their affidavits.
Justice Nath’s Bench had remarked, “Didn’t the officers read newspapers or social media? Haven’t they read that even if they were not served, the affidavit should have been filed? All Chief Secretaries must be present here on November 3.”
On October 31, the court rejected Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s request to allow virtual appearances.
It insisted that all Chief Secretaries must attend the hearing in person.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed all states and Union Territories to file affidavits.
These affidavits were to outline the measures taken to enforce the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.
The court specified steps such as sterilisation drives, vaccination programmes, and the establishment of animal shelters and pounds.
It also warned that it would impose coercive steps and financial penalties for continued non-compliance.
Residents’ welfare associations and individuals have filed several intervention pleas in the case. The apex court continues to closely monitor the matter.
The court stressed that the issue concerns not only public safety but also India’s global reputation.
The Bench said, “Continuous incidents are happening, and the country’s image is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports.”
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