‘Rules Framed, But No Action’: SC Slams Civic Bodies in Stray Dog Case, Reserves Order on Mass Removal
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on the controversial directive to round up all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, after a heated hearing where it squarely blamed the “inaction” of local authorities for the escalating human-animal conflict.
A newly constituted three-judge bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, observed that while rules were in place, their non-implementation had created a grim situation where citizens suffer and animal lovers are forced to defend the dogs.
“The entire problem has arisen due to the inaction of local authorities,” the bench remarked, adding that everyone who had come before the court, including animal welfare groups, should take responsibility for finding a solution. The court’s sharp observations came as it heard pleas seeking a stay on a previous order by a two-judge bench that had mandated the removal of all stray dogs to shelters, sparking a massive public outcry.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, painted a stark picture of the public health crisis, stating that India records approximately 37 lakh dog bite cases and 305 rabies deaths annually. He argued that sterilization does not prevent children from being mauled.
“Dogs do not have to be killed… they have to be separated. Parents cannot send children out to play. Young girls are mutilated,” Mehta told the bench, framing the issue as a conflict between the “loud voices of a small group and the quiet suffering of the majority.”
Countering this, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued against the “cruel and unscientific” mass removal order. Sibal questioned the practicality of the directive, asking where lakhs of stray dogs would be kept when no shelters currently exist.
He warned that confining territorial animals in shelters would lead to conflict and suffering. Singhvi challenged the government’s data, claiming there have been zero rabies deaths in Delhi between 2022 and 2025, and argued that the order would not be an issue if adequate shelters were already in place.
The matter was referred to this larger bench after the initial order from Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan on Monday triggered outrage. That order had stated that all localities should be “free of stray dogs” and that no captured animal could be released back onto the streets, a directive that animal welfare groups said violated existing laws and would lead to the deaths of thousands of animals.
