The Supreme Court has pulled up several states and Union Territories for failing to file compliance affidavits in the ongoing stray dogs management matter and directed their chief secretaries to appear in person on November 3.
A three-judge special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria noted that only the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the states of West Bengal and Telangana, had submitted compliance affidavits as per its August 22 order.
“The order dated August 22 contained everything. Yet, no compliance affidavits have been filed by most states,” the bench observed, expressing displeasure over the non-compliance.
The bench was hearing a suo motu case concerning the management and control of stray dogs across the country.
Background of the Case
Earlier, the Supreme Court had limited the scope of the case to the Delhi-NCR region, but in its August 22 order, it decided to expand the matter to cover all states and Union Territories, citing the widespread nature of the issue.
During that hearing, the court had also modified its earlier direction that prohibited the release of vaccinated stray dogs from pounds in the Delhi-NCR area, terming the restriction “too harsh.” Instead, the court ruled that stray dogs could be released after sterilisation and de-worming.
In its latest order, the court directed all chief secretaries, except those from West Bengal and Telangana, to personally appear before it on November 3 to explain the delay in compliance.
