Supreme Court to Rule on Controversial Stray Dog Order Today

Supreme Court's Decision on Stray Dog Management

Today, the Supreme Court is set to announce its decision regarding interim petitions that challenge the contentious suo motu order issued on August 11, 2025. This order mandates that local civic authorities in Delhi and its neighboring districts must capture and shelter all stray dogs within a timeframe of six to eight weeks.

A bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, which includes Justices Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, had concluded the hearings and reserved the matter for judgment. The bench expressed concerns over the local authorities' inadequate management of public health risks associated with stray dogs.

Initially, the suo motu case was presented before Justice J.B. Pardiwala but was subsequently reassigned to the three-judge bench under Justice Vikram Nath by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai. This change occurred on August 13, 2025, following a lawyer's appeal referencing a May 9, 2024 order aimed at ensuring humane treatment of stray dogs. In a rare administrative move, the Chief Justice transferred the case from Justice Pardiwala's bench to Justice Nath's.

In the order dated August 11, 2025, Justices Pardiwala and Mahadevan instructed the Delhi Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies to capture all stray dogs within eight weeks and house them in designated shelters, prohibiting their return to the streets. They were also directed to establish shelters capable of accommodating at least 5,000 stray dogs.