Known for his light-hearted banter both in and out of the courtroom, senior Supreme Court judge Justice Vikram Nath on Saturday said the "stray dog" case has made him famous in civil society across the world.
A special three-judge bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath on August 22 modified the August 11 order of a two-judge bench that prohibited the release of captured stray dogs from shelters in Delhi and neighbouring areas.
Speaking at a regional conference on human-wildlife conflict organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Justice Nath said he was grateful to Chief Justice of India BR Gavai for assigning him the case.
"For a long time, I have been known in the legal fraternity for my odd jobs, but I am also grateful to stray dogs for giving me recognition not only in this country but in the entire civil society across the world. And I am grateful to our Chief Justice for assigning me this case," Justice Nath, who is in line to be the Chief Justice of India in 2027, said.
He said he recently attended a summit, where lawyers, including the president of the lawyers' association, asked him questions about the stray dog issue.
"I am also getting messages that, apart from dog lovers, dogs are also giving me blessings and best wishes," he said.
Supreme Court's Stray Dog Order
Justice Nath-led bench said the dogs can be sterilised, vaccinated and released back into the same area from where they were picked up.
The bench, also comprising Justices Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria, however, said the order won't apply to dogs infected with rabies or those displaying aggressive behaviour.
The bench modified the August 11 direction, calling it "too harsh".
The bench delivered its order in a suo motu case initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in Delhi.
