Supreme Court Summons Chief Secretaries Over Failure to File Reports on Stray Dog Menace

Supreme Court Summons Chief Secretaries Over Failure to File Reports on Stray Dog Menace

The court issued a strong warning, stating that in case of non-compliance, costs may be imposed and coercive measures will follow.

RMN News Legal Desk
October 27, 2025

The Supreme Court, in a sharp rebuke to States and Union Territories (UTs), has summoned the Chief Secretaries of nearly all States and UTs for failing to file compliance affidavits regarding the implementation of Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

Hearing a suo motu case titled ‘In Re: City Hounded By Strays, Kids Pay The Price‘, a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjaria expressed strong displeasure over the widespread non-compliance. The bench sternly observed that continuous incidents of stray dog attacks were “showing the country in a bad light before foreign nations”.

Chief Secretaries Summoned

The court on Monday, October 27, 2025, ordered the personal appearance of the Chief Secretaries of all defaulting States and UTs on November 3, at 10:30 a.m..

The bench noted that the majority of States and UTs failed to submit compliance affidavits detailing the steps taken under the ABC Rules, a directive initially issued on August 22. Furthermore, there was no representation on behalf of many States and UTs in court.

Only West Bengal and Telangana were exempted from the summons, as they, along with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), were the only entities noted to have filed affidavits, though even these were not yet on record.

The court issued a strong warning, stating that in case of non-compliance, costs may be imposed and coercive measures will follow. Justice Nath specifically addressed the failure of the National Capital Territory (NCT) to file its affidavit, warning that the Chief Secretary must come up with an explanation. Reiterating the seriousness of the situation, the bench made it clear that if all Chief Secretaries fail to appear on November 3, the court would “hold proceedings in an auditorium” to ensure accountability.

RELATED RMN NEWS STORIES

[ Picture of the Day: Canine Concerns and Civic Chaos on Delhi Streets ]

[ Picture of the Day: Stray Cattle – A Recurring Roadblock in Delhi ]

[ 🔊 दिल्ली की सड़कों पर आवारा कुत्तों का आतंक: ऑडियो विश्लेषण ]

Background and Prior Directives

The stray dog issue stems from a suo motu action initiated by the Supreme Court on July 28, following a Times of India report titled ‘In a City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price’.

The case history involves several significant directives regarding stray management:

• Initial Order (August 11): An earlier bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala had directed authorities in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to relocate stray dogs to shelters and barred their release.
• Transfer and Stay: The matter was transferred to the current three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath after concerns were raised that the August 11 directions conflicted with earlier court orders.
• Modification of Release Ban (August 22): The Nath bench stayed the August 11 order, calling the ban on the release of treated and vaccinated dogs “too harsh”. The bench clarified that, in line with Rule 11(9) of the ABC Rules, dogs must be released back into the same area after undergoing sterilization, deworming, and vaccination. Exceptions apply only to dogs infected with rabies, suspected of infection, or exhibiting aggressive behavior.
• Feeding Zones: The court also expanded the scope of the case to a pan-India level and prohibited the public feeding of stray dogs, instead ordering the creation of designated feeding zones within municipal wards across Delhi-NCR.

The court has previously impelled all States, UTs, and local bodies to ensure the uniform enforcement of the ABC Rules and has hinted at formulating a national policy on the matter by transferring similar petitions pending in High Courts.