Maneka Gandhi says states ignored SC's stray dog directions, calls order unworkable
Maneka Gandhi criticised the Supreme Court after it refused to recall its stray dog order. She said six months of non-compliance by states showed the directions were unworkable.
Former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Supreme Court after it refused to recall its earlier order on the relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs, saying the court’s directions had failed completely on the ground.
“The court has done nothing, it has simply abdicated responsibility and said go to the high court if you want,” Gandhi said after the apex court dismissed pleas seeking a stay on its November 2025 order.
The Supreme Court had earlier stressed that the right to live with dignity also includes the right to move freely without fear of dog attacks.
‘NOBODY IMPLEMENTED THE ORDER’
Gandhi argued that the court had merely repeated directions that no state government or civic administration had managed to implement in the past six months.
“It has simply said that what we said in November should be done. Now, nobody has done anything from November to now. It has been six months. Not a single ABC centre has been made,” she 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 claimed the lack of implementation across India showed that the court’s directions were unrealistic from the beginning.
“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,” Gandhi said.
“So as a result, they have said, okay, now if you have a problem, go to the high court. That's all.”
SC FLAGS RISING DOG-BITE CASES
The Supreme Court, while rejecting petitions seeking recall of its earlier ruling, said authorities could not 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 said the implementation of the Animal Birth Control framework involving sterilisation, vaccination, sheltering and scientific management of stray dogs remained “sporadic, underfunded and uneven” across states and Union Territories.
The bench also said prolonged inaction and lack of institutional commitment had worsened the situation and required urgent systemic intervention.
The court warned that continued non-compliance with its directions and those issued by various high courts would be viewed seriously.
CASE STEMMED FROM RABIES CONCERNS
In November last year, the apex court had directed authorities to remove all cattle and stray animals from national highways, state highways and expressways.
The top court is currently hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28 last year following media reports on stray dog bites and rabies cases, particularly involving children in Delhi.
Gandhi, however, defended sterilisation as the long-term solution and argued that aggressive implementation of the Animal Birth Control programme could significantly reduce attacks.
“All stray dogs do not bite. If you start sterilisation then not even one dog will bite,” she said, adding that “99 percent dog bite victims are poor people.”
Former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Supreme Court after it refused to recall its earlier order on the relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs, saying the court’s directions had failed completely on the ground.
“The court has done nothing, it has simply abdicated responsibility and said go to the high court if you want,” Gandhi said after the apex court dismissed pleas seeking a stay on its November 2025 order.
The Supreme Court had earlier stressed that the right to live with dignity also includes the right to move freely without fear of dog attacks.
‘NOBODY IMPLEMENTED THE ORDER’
Gandhi argued that the court had merely repeated directions that no state government or civic administration had managed to implement in the past six months.
“It has simply said that what we said in November should be done. Now, nobody has done anything from November to now. It has been six months. Not a single ABC centre has been made,” she 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 claimed the lack of implementation across India showed that the court’s directions were unrealistic from the beginning.
“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,” Gandhi said.
“So as a result, they have said, okay, now if you have a problem, go to the high court. That's all.”
SC FLAGS RISING DOG-BITE CASES
The Supreme Court, while rejecting petitions seeking recall of its earlier ruling, said authorities could not 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 said the implementation of the Animal Birth Control framework involving sterilisation, vaccination, sheltering and scientific management of stray dogs remained “sporadic, underfunded and uneven” across states and Union Territories.
The bench also said prolonged inaction and lack of institutional commitment had worsened the situation and required urgent systemic intervention.
The court warned that continued non-compliance with its directions and those issued by various high courts would be viewed seriously.
CASE STEMMED FROM RABIES CONCERNS
In November last year, the apex court had directed authorities to remove all cattle and stray animals from national highways, state highways and expressways.
The top court is currently hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28 last year following media reports on stray dog bites and rabies cases, particularly involving children in Delhi.
Gandhi, however, defended sterilisation as the long-term solution and argued that aggressive implementation of the Animal Birth Control programme could significantly reduce attacks.
“All stray dogs do not bite. If you start sterilisation then not even one dog will bite,” she said, adding that “99 percent dog bite victims are poor people.”
