Supreme Court to Form Special Bench for Stray Cattle Shelter Case

Supreme Court's Decision on Stray Cattle Shelters

New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to form a special bench to address a petition from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regarding a directive to create shelters for stray cattle nationwide.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the NHAI, informed a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, that a previous order from a special bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath mandated the establishment of these shelters by local authorities.

Mehta highlighted that the NHAI has been instructed to set up shelter homes for stray cattle, which the Authority estimates would cost around Rs 7,000 crore.

He argued that the responsibility for this initiative should lie with local district administrations rather than being implemented on a national scale.

Additionally, he requested the reconstitution of the special bench, which originally included Justices Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria, to review the NHAI's application.

The solicitor general also mentioned that there is an ongoing issue regarding stray dogs, for which he plans to submit an application on behalf of the NHAI.

He noted that the formation of a special bench requires explicit direction from the Chief Justice.

In response, the Chief Justice confirmed, "We will constitute."

This development occurred during discussions on managing stray dogs and cattle, focusing on the roles of various government bodies.