The Supreme Court on Tuesday warned that it will impose heavy compensation on state governments for every death caused by dog bites, expressing strong displeasure over the handling of the stray dog issue across the country.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria heard the matter related to street dogs in India and held state governments responsible for the growing menace. The bench said states have failed to discharge their statutory duties.
During the hearing, Justice Vikram Nath said the court would also fix accountability on people who feed stray dogs. He remarked that prolonged inaction by authorities has turned the proceedings into a “public platform” rather than a judicial exercise.
The apex court sharply criticised both the Union and state governments for a “complete failure” in implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, noting that the issue has persisted for decades despite parliamentary scrutiny since the 1950s.
“We will take the Union and state governments to task. Because of their failure, the problem has multiplied a thousand times. For every man, woman and child who has lost their life due to a dog bite, we will impose heavy compensation on the government responsible,” the bench said.
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Compensation: Court Flags ABC Rule Failure, Holds Dog Feeders Accountable
The court said it would spend significant time with the Centre and states to assess whether they have a concrete action plan in place. Stressing implementation over arguments, the bench said it would fix liability on states for every dog bite incident and also examine the responsibility of dog feeders.
The remarks followed senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy’s submission that the stray dog issue is an “emotional matter.” The bench rejected the argument, stating that several submissions were “far from reality,” and referred to videos showing stray dogs attacking children and elderly people.
In an earlier hearing on January 8, the Supreme Court had flagged poor implementation of the ABC Rules and criticised dog lovers, including counsel representing actor Sharmila Tagore, for remaining disconnected from ground realities.
Last week, the apex court declined to examine allegations of harassment of women dog feeders by anti-feeder vigilantes, calling it a law-and-order issue and advising affected persons to file FIRs. The court also refused to consider claims of derogatory remarks made against women.
The bench is hearing multiple petitions, including pleas seeking modification of earlier orders and demands for strict enforcement of existing directives. Senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani highlighted the plight of women dog feeders, alleging harassment and violence by self-styled vigilantes enforcing court orders.
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