Overview
- A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N. V. Anjaria resumed hearings and clarified it has not ordered removal of every street dog, restricting relocation to schools, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations and sports complexes.
- The court flagged widespread non-compliance and said it would take a harsh view, noting that states including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab have not filed adequate affidavits.
- Emphasising public safety, the bench cited recent animal-related road accidents that injured two Rajasthan High Court judges and suggested fencing on highways and expressways.
- Authorities reported new protocols: NHAI mapped about 1,317 vulnerable locations spanning roughly 1,413 km, and AWBI issued SOPs for shelters and ABC operations, including infrastructure norms such as six-foot fencing.
- Debate over remedies continued, with Kapil Sibal urging the CSVR model over mass sheltering, K. K. Venugopal highlighting shelter shortages, and the Solicitor General proposing RWA votes on dogs in gated communities.