SC directs chief secretaries to appear in person over stray dogs case
Rejects Solicitor General’s plea for virtual appearance; bench expresses displeasure over states’ failure to file compliance affidavits on animal birth control rules
The Supreme Court on Friday (October 31) refused to accept the request of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the chief secretaries of states, except West Bengal and Telangana, be allowed to appear virtually before the court on November 3 in the stray dogs case.
Mehta mentioned the matter before a bench, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which made it clear that the chief secretaries had to appear physically before the court on November 3.
'No respect for court order'
While hearing the suo motu case related to stray dogs, Justice Nath lamented that secretaries showed no respect for the court order, as no one had filed the compliance affidavits and therefore ordered them to appear before the court. "When we require them to come and file a compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it. No respect for the order of the court. Then, alright, let them come," he said.
Also read: 'Country’s image at stake’: SC raps states over stray dog case
Mehta urged the bench to allow the chief secretaries to appear virtually instead of physically.
On October 27, while hearing the matter, the top court had directed the chief secretaries of all the states, except West Bengal and Telangana, to appear before it, on November 3, to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed despite the court's August 22 order.
Nationwide stray-dog rules
The apex court is hearing a suo motu case, which was initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites resulting in rabies cases, particularly among children, in the national capital.
On August 22, the court expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond the confines of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), and directed that all states and UTs be made parties in the matter.
Also read: How West Bengal is teaching kids compassion for strays, ways to avoid dog bite
It further directed the municipal authorities to file an affidavit of compliance with complete statistics of resources like dog pounds, veterinarians, dog-catching personnel, and specially-modified vehicles and cages available as of the date required for compliance with the ABC Rules.
The bench had also impleaded the states and UTs in the matter while observing that the application of the ABC Rules was uniform all over India.