Will stray dogs be removed from Delhi-NCR streets? Supreme Court's big order today

A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria on August 14 refused to put a stay order on the previous order while hearing the petitions that sought a change in the previous judgement.

The three judges heard the case again after Chief Justice of India BR Gavai assured to re-examination the order that has triggered outrage.

The top court had ruled that all stray dogs from the residential localities will have to be shifted to the shelters within eight weeks and any organisation attempting to block it will face the strictest punishment.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan passed the order while hearing the matter after taking note of a news report on deaths due to rabies following dog bites.

The court said it will only hear the Centre's argument and not from any dog lover or a third party in the case.

"We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest. So, no sentiments of any nature should be involved. Action should be taken at the earliest," Justice Pardiwala had said as quoted by NDTV.

"Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to shelters. For the time being, forget the rules."

The court had ordered the Delhi government, the civic body MCD and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to pick up all stray dogs from residential areas, colonies of Delhi-NCR and place them in shelters.

The top court had also barred the adoption of stray dogs.

The civic authorities in Delhi-NCR had been asked to set up dog shelters, relocate the stray dogs, and depute professionals who can tackle, sterilise, and immunise the dogs.

From January to June this year, over 35,000 animal bite incidents have been reported from Delhi-NCR.

As per the official data produced by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), 49 cases of rabies have been reported in the same period, reports said.