On the directions of Chief Justice Gavai, a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria will take up the case.
Published: August 14, 2025 6:41 AM IST
The Supreme Court has set up a bigger bench to hear the case after its earlier order to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR caused a big public outcry. The new three-judge bench will take up the matter on Thursday, August 14. The case was listed just hours after it was mentioned before Chief Justice BR Gavai in open court. The CJI said, “I will look into it.”
Earlier, on August 11, a two-judge bench had ordered that all stray dogs be caught and moved to shelters, with the next hearing scheduled for four weeks later. Now, the case will be heard by Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria.
In its earlier order, the two-judge bench directed authorities the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, NDMC, and the authorities in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to set up dog shelters or pounds and report back within eight weeks on the progress.
These shelters must have enough staff to sterilise, deworm, and vaccinate stray dogs, as well as take proper care of them, without releasing them back into streets, colonies, or public areas. All shelters will be fitted with CCTV cameras to ensure that no dogs are removed or let out.
The court also said the first step should be to create space for 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks. It called this a “progressive exercise” that would need to grow and expand over time.
Uproar over order to remove all stray dogs
The Supreme Court’s decision to hand over the case to a larger bench came after strong public backlash against the earlier order by a two-judge bench. Many politicians, celebrities, and animal rights groups argued that the problem could be solved in better ways through long-term, scientific measures like sterilisation, vaccination, and community care instead of simply removing the animals.
Members of the Gandhi family: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Varun Gandhi, and Maneka Gandhi (one of India’s leading animal rights activists) all voiced their concerns after the decision from the top court.
On X, Rahul Gandhi wrote: “Blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted and strip us of compassion. These voiceless souls are not ‘problems’ to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination and community care can keep streets safe — without cruelty. We can ensure public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand.”
The same night, several dog lovers, activists, and other protestors gathered at India Gate in Delhi to oppose the order. Many were detained by police.
PETA India also criticised the ruling, calling it “impractical, illogical, and illegal.”
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