The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday criticised former Union Minister and animal rights advocate Maneka Gandhi for her recent public statements about the top court’s handling of stray dog cases. The bench, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, noted that Gandhi’s remarks in a podcast and other forums could amount to contempt of court. However, the bench chose not to initiate formal contempt proceedings, describing this restraint as an act of “magnanimity.”
During the hearing, the court expressed concern not just over Gandhi’s statements, but also over her tone and body language, which it described as disparaging towards the judiciary. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing Gandhi, was questioned about whether he had reviewed her comments. “Your client has committed contempt. We are not taking cognisance of that. That is our magnanimity,” the court told him.
The proceedings turned pointed when Ramachandran cited his past role in defending 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab. Justice Nath responded that Kasab had not committed contempt, highlighting the seriousness of public statements made about the judiciary. The bench also questioned Gandhi’s contributions as a former minister and animal welfare advocate, including the effectiveness of budget allocations and schemes for stray dog management.
Senior counsel Prashant Bhushan, representing petitioners, emphasised the need for sterilisation programmes to control stray dog aggression, noting their poor implementation in many cities. He added that comments suggesting accountability for dog feeders could lead to backlash, as some feeders had faced public criticism.
The court clarified that its earlier observations on dog feeder responsibility were made seriously, not sarcastically. It stressed the importance of restraint in public statements and reaffirmed that oral observations in court are part of judicial dialogue.
In previous hearings, the Supreme Court had signalled that state governments should ensure compensation for victims of serious or fatal stray dog attacks and take measures to hold authorities accountable for dog management.
