Supreme Court Declines Plea To Exempt Chief Secretaries From Appearing In Stray Dog Menace Case

The Supreme Court on Friday (October 31, 2025) declined to exempt Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories from personally appearing before it to explain their failure to submit affidavits in compliance with its August 22 directive mandating the sterilisation, deworming, and immunisation of stray dogs in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Rejecting Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta’s request to permit virtual appearances, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said: “No, let them come physically. It is very unfortunate that the court grants time, the government frames rules, and yet no action follows. They are sleeping over the court’s orders. There is no respect for them. Let the Chief Secretaries come and explain.”

Emphasising that it would not dilute its earlier directive, the Bench reiterated that the officers must be present in person to account for not filing the compliance affidavits.