SC to hear stray dogs matter tomorrow; Chief Secys of states, UTs to appear physically

New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday (November 3) the suo moto case concerning stray dog management across the country, with the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories -- except West Bengal and Telangana -- directed to remain personally present before it.

A special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria will hear the matter, which had earlier expressed displeasure over non-compliance of several states and UTs with the apex court’s directives on implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.

During the previous hearing on October 27, the top court had expressed strong disapproval of the failure of most state governments to file compliance affidavits, despite clear orders issued on August 22.

The apex court had noted that only West Bengal, Telangana, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had submitted their affidavits.

“Didn’t the officers read newspapers or social media? Haven’t they read... even if they are not served, the affidavit should have been here. All Chief Secretaries remain present here on November 3,” the Justice Nath-led Bench had remarked.

On October 31, the Supreme Court rejected Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's request to allow the Chief Secretaries to appear virtually, directing instead that they must be present physically before the top court.

The apex court had earlier directed all states and UTs to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to enforce the ABC Rules, including sterilisation drives, vaccination programmes, and the establishment of animal shelters and pounds.

It also warned that coercive measures and costs may be imposed for continued non-compliance. The matter, which has seen multiple intervention pleas from residents' welfare associations and individuals, has been closely monitored by the Supreme Court, which emphasised that the issue concerns not only public safety but also the country’s global image.

"Continuous incidents are happening, and the image of the country is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports," it had remarked.

--IANS

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