New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) Former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday said the Supreme Court has “simply abdicated responsibility” on the stray-dog issue, contending that its earlier directions had gone unimplemented across the country and were “technically not feasible” to execute.
Gandhi’s remarks came after the apex court earlier in the day refused to recall its November 2025 order on relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs, and stressed that the right to live with dignity includes the right to move freely without the fear of dog attacks.
“The court has done nothing, it has simply abdicated responsibility and said go to the high court if you want,” Gandhi told PTI Videos while reacting to the ruling.
She said the apex court has merely reiterated its earlier directions, without addressing the widespread failure in implementation over the last six months.
“It has simply said that what we said in November should be done. Now, nobody did anything from November to now. It has been six months. Not a single ABC centre has been made,” Gandhi said.
“Not a single shelter has been made. No hospital, no bus stop, no schools, no colleges, nobody has removed the dogs, because they cannot…. This is technically not feasible,” she added.
The Supreme Court, while dismissing petitions seeking a recall of its earlier order, said authorities cannot ignore the “harsh ground realities” of increasing dog-bite incidents involving children, elderly people and travellers.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria observed that the implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) framework — involving sterilisation, vaccination, sheltering and scientific management of stray dogs — remains “sporadic, underfunded and uneven” across states and Union territories.
The bench said prolonged inaction and the lack of institutional commitment have aggravated the problem and warranted urgent systemic intervention.
Gandhi maintained that the six months following that order have demonstrated nationwide non-compliance.
“I think in these six months, the Supreme Court has realised that there has been a national non-compliance. It is not one state or one district, nobody has done what they had said,” she said.
“So as a result, they have said, okay, now if you have a problem, go to the high court. That’s all,” Gandhi said.
The apex court also warned that continued non-compliance with its directions and those issued by jurisdictional high courts would be viewed seriously.
In November last year, the court directed authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from the state highways, national highways and expressways.
The top court is hearing a suo-motu (on its own) case, initiated on July 28 last year, over a media report on stray-dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in Delhi. PTI AO RC
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