New Delhi, October 31, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India has directed Chief Secretaries from all states and Union Territories—excluding West Bengal and Telangana—to appear in person on November 3 in connection with a suo motu case concerning stray dog control and public safety.
The directive follows the court’s earlier order dated August 22, which required municipal authorities across the country to submit compliance affidavits detailing infrastructure and resources available for implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. These include data on dog shelters, veterinary personnel, capture teams, and specialized vehicles.
During a hearing on October 27, the bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of response from several states. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested that the officials be allowed to appear virtually, but the court rejected the plea, citing disregard for its previous orders.
Justice Nath remarked, “When we ask for compliance affidavits, they ignore it. There’s no regard for the court’s order. Let them come.”
The case was initiated suo motu on July 28 following media reports highlighting a surge in stray dog attacks and rabies cases, particularly affecting children in Delhi and surrounding areas. The court has since expanded the scope to include all states and UTs, emphasizing that ABC Rules must be uniformly applied nationwide.
The hearing on November 3 is expected to review the status of compliance and determine further action to ensure public safety and humane animal control.
