The High Court on Thursday ordered issuance of emergent notice to the State government and Siddaraju, president, City Municipal Council (CMC), Mandya, in a petition seeking disqualification of the elected members of the CMC, for the mass killing of stray dogs — in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.
A division bench comprising Justice A N Venugopal Gowda and Justice B Manohar ordered notices, hearing the petition filed by Deeksha Amrutesh, student and animal rights activist. The petitioner contended that a work order was issued by the CMC to Somu from K R Nagar to cull stray dogs in Mandya town. She contended that over 700 stray dogs were culled and many were buried alive near Kalenahalli in November this year.
The petitioner said that the president of the Mandya CMC had given a statement and the CMC passed a resolution, about the operation to catch stray dogs and shifting them to the nearby Muttatti forest.
The petitioner has sought directions, calling for all the records from the Commissioner of the Mandya CMC with regard to work taken up for catching stray dogs, and also sought a departmental inquiry. The petitioner wants court directions to stop the exercise of catching stray dogs and killing them mercilessly.