SC vacates stay on Delhi HC order holding stray dogs have right to food

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday vacated its earlier order by which it had stayed the Delhi High Court judgement of 2021 that the stray dogs have the right to food and the citizens have the right to feed them

The apex court, on March 4, this year, had stayed the operation of the high court's verdict on a plea of NGO ‘Humane Foundation for People and Animals' that directions may lead to an increase of stray dog menace.

A bench comprising Justices Uday Umesh Lalit, S Ravindra Bhat, and Sudhanshu Dhulia took note of the submissions that the high court's verdict was delivered in a civil lawsuit involving two private parties and the NGO has no locus to intervene in the subsequent proceedings.

The bench also took note of the fact that moreover, the parties to the original lawsuit have already settled their dispute, and hence the continuance of the proceedings at the behest of a third party was not needed. “This SLP (special leave petition) arises out of a judgement dated June 24, 2021, passed by the Delhi High Court. In the course of his judgement the judge arrived at certain conclusions, it said in the order, adding that the verdict was later stayed. Several organisations and individuals were urging the court to continue with the matter.