The Supreme Court on Friday said it would play a video during the next hearing in the stray dogs case and examine what constitutes “humanity”, after senior advocate Kapil Sibal objected to the implementation of rules framed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), terming the treatment of dogs as “very, very inhuman”.
Matter adjourned to January 7
The matter was listed before a three-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N V Anjaria, but the bench could not assemble, leading to the case being adjourned to January 7.
Following this, Sibal mentioned the matter before a division bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, seeking an early hearing in view of the imminent implementation of the MCD rules.
Sibal alleges cruelty under new rules
Sibal argued that the MCD rules were contrary to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and that authorities had begun acting on them despite the absence of adequate dog shelters.
“The treatment of dogs under these rules is extremely inhuman,” Sibal told the court, adding that dogs were being removed even as the legal challenge remained pending.
Court refuses early hearing
The bench declined to grant an early hearing. Justice Nath remarked, “Alright, we can’t help it now.”
Justice Mehta, however, said that on the next date, the court would play a video and question the meaning of humanity. “We will play a video for your benefit and ask you what is humanity,” he told Sibal.
In response, Sibal said he would also present a video showing the ground reality. “We respect the court’s orders, but there are statutory rules involved,” he submitted.
Background of the case
The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance on July 28 following media reports on rising cases of stray dog bites and rabies, particularly affecting children in the national capital.
On November 7, the court observed that repeated incidents of dog bites in schools, hospitals, railway stations and sports complexes pointed to serious administrative failures impacting citizens’ right to safety under Article 21.
The court noted that over 90 per cent of human rabies cases are caused by dog bites, with children, the elderly and economically weaker sections being most vulnerable.
Directions on relocation of dogs
The apex court has directed the removal of stray dogs from institutional premises and their relocation to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination, clarifying that dogs should not be released back at the same location.
The matter will be taken up again on January 7