‘Even Human Cases Don’t See So Many Pleas’: SC on Stray Dog Matter
Top court says volume of applications unusual, even compared to human-related matters.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Jan: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of the unusually large number of interlocutory applications being filed in the stray dog matter, observing that such a volume of pleas does not even normally arise in cases involving humans.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the remark when lawyers mentioned the matter before the court. When one counsel informed the bench about filing an interlocutory application, Justice Mehta observed, “So many applications normally don’t even come in cases of humans.”
The court said the stray dog matter is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday by a special three-judge bench comprising Justices Nath, Mehta and N V Anjaria. The bench indicated that multiple petitions and applications would be taken up together and all concerned lawyers would be heard.
The case stems from a suo motu proceeding initiated on July 28 last year following media reports on rising incidents of stray dog bites, particularly affecting children in the national capital. On November 7, the Supreme Court had taken note of what it described as an “alarming rise” in dog bite cases in institutional areas such as schools, hospitals, sports complexes and railway stations.
The court had directed authorities to relocate stray dogs to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination, and ordered that the animals should not be released back into the areas from where they were picked up. It had also directed the removal of cattle and other stray animals from national and state highways and expressways.
The top court had said repeated dog bite incidents reflected administrative apathy and a systemic failure to secure institutional premises from preventable hazards.
