Supreme Court Refers Delhi Stray Dog Matter to 3-Judge Bench, Hearing Tomorrow

The Supreme Court has referred the contentious issue of stray dog management in Delhi to a three-judge bench, with the hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

The directions to remove the stray dogs were passed by a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan on August 11. This 2-judge bench had earlier (July 28) taken suo motu cognisance of the issue based on a Times of India report titled "In a city hounded by strays, kids pay price".

The move comes amid conflicting rulings and public interest petitions on balancing animal welfare with human safety concerns.

The larger bench will examine legal and ethical aspects, including compliance with existing laws, to provide clarity on stray dog management in the capital.