New 3-judge SC bench to hear stray dog case today

After widespread protests following a top court verdict on relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, a new three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear the case on Thursday. The bench will be headed by justice Vikram Nath. It also comprises justices Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria. The matter was earlier heard by justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan.

Earlier in the day, CJI BR Gavai said he will "look into" the issue after a lawyer mentioned it, saying different benches of SC have issued conflicting directions. The matter was mentioned before a bench headed by the CJI for urgent listing, to which the CJI said, "I will look into this."

Advocate Nanita Sharma said two benches of SC have passed different orders on the stray dogs issue: "This is with regard to the community dogs issue... There is an earlier judgment of this court, of a bench of justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol, which says there cannot be indiscriminate killing of canines and that compassion for all living beings has to be there."