'India shown in bad light': SC summons chief secretaries of states, UTs on November 3 in stray dogs case

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the chief secretaries of states and Union Territories, other than West Bengal and Telangana, to appear before it on November 3 to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed in the stray dogs case.

A three-judge special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria noted that only the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and states of West Bengal and Telangana have filed their compliance affidavits in pursuance to the apex court's August 22 order.

The bench slammed the other states and UTs for not filing the compliance affidavits, saying its August 22 contained everything.

Justice Vikram Nath expressing dissatisfaction said that the court had issued notices to all States/UTs and the order was also widely reported.

"Continuous incidents are happening and the image of the country is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports," Livelaw reported citing Justice Nath said.

The bench was hearing a suo motu case relating to stray dogs.

The apex court had on August 22 expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond the confines of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and directed that all states and Union Territories be made parties in the matter.

In its August 22 order, the top court had modified its earlier direction prohibiting the release of vaccinated stray dogs from pounds in Delhi-NCR, calling it "too harsh" and ordered the canines to be released post sterilisation and de-worming.

With PTI photo