Justice Vikram Nath, Supreme Court Judge, who presided over a historic stray dog case, owed his overnight national and global level fame to the animals themselves. Addressing the Regional Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, Justice Nath said, “I am grateful to the stray dogs for making me popular. not just in this nation but all over the world.”
The judge revealed that prior to this, he was only well-known within the legal community, but the controversial case took his profile global. “So long I have been famous in the legal community for the less work I do, but I am grateful to the stray dogs for making me famous in the whole civil society,” he said, further stating that he has been getting messages from people who love dogs and even “blessings from dogs themselves.” He also thanked Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai for assigning the case to him.
Justice Nath disclosed that his acknowledgement was not limited to India. “We recently attended the ‘Law Asia POLA Summit’. Foreigners, presidents of lawyer associations, inquired about my views on the stray dogs issue. I felt thrilled that outsiders are familiar with me,” he claimed.
Supreme Court Verdict on Stray Dogs
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice N.V. Anjaria on Friday altered its previous order of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR. The bench made it clear that stray dogs caught by civic bodies need to be sterilized and immunized before being released, except for those that are aggressive or rabies-infected. The judgment revoked an August 11 two-judge order that demanded the permanent confinement of dogs in shelter houses.
The court also instructed the establishment of official feeding sites for stray dogs in a manner that would promote public order and animal safety.
Maneka Gandhi Welcomes the Ruling
Animal welfare activist and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi embraced the decision, terming it as a “scientific judgement.” She also identified relocation and fear as the primary cause of dogs biting and emphasized that rabies-infected dogs should never be let loose. Gandhi did, however, insist that the court clarify what is an “aggressive dog.”
She also pointed to a budgetary allocation of the past, stating, “For the first time in 25 years, the government has put aside Rs 2,500 crore for this programme, as mentioned in Parliament. Municipal corporations will have to establish proper Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres and demarcate feeding points with signboards.”
Gandhi stressed that the order is effective all over the country, a major step towards the sustenance of animal welfare and public safety.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
