Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Wednesday said he would examine the recent Supreme Court directive ordering the removal of stray dogs from Delhi streets and their relocation to shelters.
The matter was raised by a lawyer, who cited an earlier SC judgment prohibiting the indiscriminate killing of canines and emphasising compassion towards all living beings. The lawyer expressed concern over the August 11 order mandating the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi within six to eight weeks.
Responding, CJI Gavai said, “I will look into this,” noting that the order had already been passed by another bench.
On Monday, Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed that all localities in Delhi-NCR be made free of stray dogs, with no compromise. The bench stated that no captured dog would be released back onto the streets and warned of contempt proceedings against anyone obstructing the capture drive.
Authorities have been told to create shelters with adequate staff for sterilisation and vaccination, and to set up a helpline to register dog bite complaints. The order further requires that offending animals be picked up within four hours of a complaint, and that daily records of captured dogs be maintained. CCTV monitoring will be used to ensure compliance.
