The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a mentioning of a plea concerning Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's alleged statement on stray dogs. The counsel appearing before the bench sought to mention the matter, but the court declined to hear it.
Background of the Case
The development comes after the top court's May 19 order in the stray dogs case. According to the counsel, the Punjab chief minister had allegedly tweeted that the Supreme Court 'has given a free hand to kill stray dogs'. The counsel argued that such a statement was a misrepresentation of the court's order and sought the court's intervention.
Court's Response
The bench, however, refused to entertain the mentioning, stating that the matter could be raised through proper legal channels. The court did not issue any further orders or comments on the issue.
The Supreme Court's May 19 order had directed that stray dogs should not be killed and that authorities should follow the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules. The court had also emphasized the need for vaccination and sterilization of stray dogs to control their population.
The Punjab CM's alleged tweet had sparked a controversy, with animal rights activists and opposition parties criticizing the statement. The matter is likely to be taken up again if a formal petition is filed.
