The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to accelerate the sterilisation of stray dogs across the Capital and coordinate with their Lucknow counterparts to organise specialised training for veterinarians, para-veterinarians and dog catchers at the earliest.
A bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Aditi Choudhary also asked the MCD to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for dog sterilisation based on suggestions submitted by amicus curiae Gauri Maulekhi and place it before the court for approval. The directions came as the court examined steps being taken to implement the Supreme Court’s orders concerning stray animals and the growing incidence of dog bites.
Lucknow team to train officials
Maulekhi informed the court that, following discussions with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, its personnel had agreed to travel to Delhi and conduct a 15-day training camp whenever the MCD and NDMC finalised a location and schedule.
The training will cover veterinarians, para-veterinarians and dog catchers and will follow the module prescribed by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Taking note of the offer, the High Court directed both Delhi civic bodies to coordinate with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and organise the programme “as early as possible”.
The initiative is intended to improve the capacity of civic personnel involved in catching, handling, sterilising and managing stray dogs while ensuring compliance with prescribed animal welfare procedures.
Four-week deadline
The court was informed that the MCD and NDMC had already successfully organised sterilisation camps in two wards or circles. It directed the authorities to replicate the exercise in two more wards and gave them four weeks to file affidavits stating that all stray dogs in the respective areas had been sterilised.
Officials of both civic bodies assured the court that the sterilisation process would be accelerated. Camps are to be organised in four wards linked with corresponding Animal Birth Control centres, creating a ward-based model that could subsequently be expanded to other parts of Delhi.
The amicus curiae also submitted a roadmap and report for implementing the pilot sterilisation programme. The MCD has been given four weeks to examine the document and submit its comments and suggestions before the court considers the broader plan.
Rabies action plan
The High Court is hearing a suo motu case initiated following directions issued by the Supreme Court on May 19. In earlier proceedings, the bench had asked the Delhi government to submit its response on implementation of an action plan aimed at eliminating rabies among stray dogs in the national capital.
The court has repeatedly emphasised that the issue cannot be viewed solely from the perspective of either animal welfare activists or residents concerned about attacks. It had called for a balance between the interests of what it described as “dog lovers” and “dog haters”, observing that ordinary citizens were facing dog-bite incidents on a regular basis.
The bench had also flagged Delhi’s monkey population, describing the monkey menace as an “even more serious” problem requiring attention from the authorities.
Supreme Court directions
On May 19, the Supreme Court directed states and Union Territories to strengthen infrastructure for dealing with stray dogs and other animals and asked all High Courts to initiate suo motu proceedings to monitor compliance with its earlier directions of August 22 and November 7, 2025.
The Supreme Court had issued a series of directions in response to what it described as an “alarming rise” in dog-bite incidents, particularly in institutional spaces such as schools and other educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations.
It directed authorities to remove stray dogs from specified public and institutional spaces and relocate them to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the applicable framework. The directions also require authorities to strengthen animal birth control infrastructure so that sterilisation and vaccination can be carried out systematically.
Roadmap for Delhi
The High Court’s latest intervention shifts the focus towards creating sufficient trained manpower and a structured ward-by-ward sterilisation programme rather than relying on sporadic drives. The proposed roadmap is expected to identify available Animal Birth Control centres, manpower requirements, capacity constraints and the number of animals that can realistically be sterilised within defined periods.
The court is also seeking measurable compliance from civic agencies by requiring affidavits after the completion of ward-level exercises. The results of the pilot camps could determine how the programme is expanded across the Capital.
The Supreme Court’s directions extend beyond stray dogs. Authorities have also been asked to ensure the removal of cattle and other stray animals from national highways, state highways and expressways because of the risks they pose to motorists.
For Delhi, the immediate focus will remain on expanding sterilisation capacity, improving the skills of personnel involved in animal birth control and implementing the rabies action plan. The MCD’s proposed roadmap and the results from the additional ward-level camps are expected to come before the High Court after the four-week compliance period.