The Supreme Court on Tuesday remarked that the sheer volume of legal filings in the ongoing stray dogs case has eclipsed many matters involving human rights. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and
Sandeep Mehta expressed surprise at the flood of interlocutory applications (IAs) being submitted, with Justice Mehta noting that “so many applications normally don’t even come in cases of humans”.
The court’s comments came during a mentioning session when lawyers sought the inclusion of fresh applications and transfer petitions in the long-running matter. The legal interest in the case has been exceptionally high, as it pits two passionate camps—animal rights activists and public safety advocates—against one another. The bench observed that the intensity of this “dog vs human safety” debate has resulted in an unprecedented surge of filings, reflecting a broader societal polarisation over the issue of stray animal management.
The current legal standoff originated from a suo motu case initiated by the apex court in July 2023, following harrowing media reports of children being mauled by stray dogs in the national capital. The judicial intervention reached a critical juncture on November 7 last year, when the court took note of an “alarming rise” in dog bite incidents and issued stringent directions for the immediate relocation of stray canines from institutional zones—including schools, hospitals, and railway stations—to designated shelters.
Crucially, the court had ordered that these dogs be sterilised and vaccinated but specifically mandated that they not be released back into the same areas. This directive directly challenged the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules of 2023, which generally require dogs to be returned to their original territory. The divergence between judicial orders and statutory rules has since triggered a wave of legal challenges and public protests, including a “One Day, One Voice” demonstration at Jantar Mantar just days ago.
As of Tuesday, the Supreme Court has scheduled a comprehensive hearing for Wednesday, January 7, to be presided over by a three-judge special bench including Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria. The bench has assured the numerous petitioners and intervenors that it will hear all arguments in an attempt to harmonise the constitutional right to life (Article 21) with the fundamental duty to show compassion to all living creatures (Article 51A). With the court now highlighting the disproportionate legal attention given to this matter, the upcoming hearing is expected to set a definitive national precedent for how local authorities must navigate the “systemic failure” of stray dog management.
