HC warns Nagpur officials of legal action on stray dog menace
During Wednesday's hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Vijay Talewar, the bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Vrushali Joshi said for over two decades, the court was passing orders on this issue without tangible results. "We will not keep issuing reminders. If there is failure in implementation, legal action will follow," the court observed.
The bench ordered Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to submit a complete list of all officers responsible for stray dog control, stating notices will be sent to each of them.
"They will be given an opportunity to respond, and accountability will be fixed individually," the court said. The petitioner's counsel, senior advocate Firdos Mirza, argued that slapping notices on municipal commissioners have proved ineffective.
"Every officer in the chain needs to be made answerable," he told the court.
The judges referred to earlier directions that police issue notifications under Section 44 of the Maharashtra Police Act, and NMC take action against those feeding stray dogs in public spaces — both of which, they noted, were not complied with.
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Mirza sought contempt proceedings against the municipal and police commissioners, but the court noted that in earlier cases, unconditional apologies shielded them from consequences. "This time, once notices are served, action will follow," the bench warned. The court even hinted at possible contempt proceedings against the state's principal secretary (urban development) if failures persist, emphasising the matter will not be closed without "something concrete" being achieved.
The next hearing is scheduled next week, with liberty granted to the petitioner's counsel to submit further recommendations for effective implementation. "This will be your last complaint," the bench told Talewar, signalling its intent to end decades of inaction.
# Key Observations (Oral) by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court
20 years of court orders on stray dog control failed to yield results
All responsible officers, from top to bottom, will now be held personally accountable
NMC must submit a list of every officer involved in implementation
Notices will be issued individually, with an opportunity for response before action
Orders under Section 44 of Maharashtra Police Act remain unimplemented
Civic body yet to act against those feeding stray dogs in public spaces
Prior unconditional apologies allowed officials to avoid consequences.
Contempt action may be taken against principal secretary (urban development) if lapses persist
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