CS Circular re Govt Dept Compliance to SC Order 7/11/25 - what is the impact?

The CJ Memorial Trust
Nov 16, 2025
6 min read

This is a circular (in Kannada) from the Chief Secretary of the Government of Karnataka (GoK) regarding the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India on stray dog management and public safety, especially in institutional areas and on highways. Here is the full translation, summary, impact, actionable points, and stakeholder roles.

📄 Full Translation of the Circular

Note (ಟಿಪ್ಪಣಿ) No. (ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ): ಮುಕಾ/ /2025 Date: November 15, 2025.

Court Case (ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯ ಪ್ರಕರಣ) Urgent (ತುರ್ತು) Suo moto WP (civil) 05/2025

The copy of the order issued by the Hon'ble Court on 07-11-2025 in the above case is enclosed herewith.

The Hon'ble Court has directed the concerned City Local Bodies and Corporations to capture all stray dogs found in public areas such as government and private educational institutions, hospitals (including district hospitals, primary health centers, and medical colleges), public stadiums or sports complexes, bus stands, bus depots (including Inter-state Bus Terminals), and railway stations. Furthermore, the court has directed that these captured dogs must undergo sterilization surgery (Animal Birth Control/ABC) and be placed in dog shelters to ensure they do not pose a danger to public safety.

Accordingly, a list detailing the measures required for point-wise compliance with the Hon'ble Court's directives, the Department/Authority responsible for compliance, the timeframe allotted for compliance as per the Hon'ble Court's order, and the details of the paragraphs in the order where these directions are mentioned is enclosed herewith. It is hereby directed to compulsorily submit their compliance in the form of an affidavit within the stipulated timeframe.

(Dr. Shalini Rajneesh) Chief Secretary to the Government (ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ)

To (ಇವರಿಗೆ):

Additional Chief Secretary/Secretary to Government, Urban Development Department, Vikasa Soudha.
Principal Secretary to Government, School Education and Literacy Department, Multi-storied Building.
Principal Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, Vikasa Soudha.
Principal Secretary to Government, Public Works Department, Vikasa Soudha.
Principal Secretary to Government, Medical Education Department, Multi-storied Building.
Principal Secretary to Government, Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, Multi-storied Building.
Secretary to Government, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Multi-storied Building.
Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department, Vikasa Soudha.
Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department, Multi-storied Building.
Secretary to Government, Infrastructure Development Department, Vikasa Soudha.
Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Multi-storied Building.

📑 Summary of the Supreme Court Directives

The circular is an urgent notice from the Chief Secretary of Karnataka to various government departments, mandating the strict and timely compliance with the Supreme Court's order dated 07.11.2025 in Suo Moto W.P. (C) No. 5 of 2025 concerning the management of stray dogs and animals, particularly in public and institutional areas.

🚨 Key Directives on Stray Dogs (Institutional Premises)

Removal and Relocation: All stray dogs found inside designated institutional premises (educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes/stadia, bus stands/depots, and railway stations) must be removed, sterilized, vaccinated, dewormed, and not released back to the same location. They must be relocated to a designated shelter.
Securing Premises: Institutions must ensure fencing, boundary walls, and gates are in place to prevent the entry of stray dogs.
Nodal Officer: Heads of institutions must designate a Nodal Officer responsible for cleanliness and preventing dog entry, and display their contact details.
Inspections: Local Authorities must conduct quarterly inspections to ensure no stray dog habitats exist within or nearby institutional premises.
Medical Stock: Government hospitals must maintain a mandatory and continuous stock of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and Immunoglobulin (IG).
Awareness: Educational institutions must conduct awareness sessions for students and staff on preventive behavior, first aid, and reporting protocols.
SOPs: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) must issue detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)for dog-bite prevention and stray dog management nationwide.

🛣️ Key Directives on Highways

Removal of Cattle: Ensure the removal of all cattle and stray animals from National/State Highways and Expressways, and relocate them to designated shelters.
Highway Patrol: Constitute dedicated highway patrol/road safety units for 24×7 surveillance and coordination.
Helplines: Install and display helpline numbers at regular intervals on highways, linked to police, NHAI, and district administration control rooms.

🎯 Actionable Points and Stakeholder Roles

The circular directs all concerned departments to submit their compliance in the form of an Affidavit within the specified timeframes.

Actionable Point	Responsible Stakeholder	Deadline / Timeframe
Identification of all public and private institutional areas (schools, hospitals, bus/railway stations, sports complexes).	Concerned Department/Authority through local/municipal authorities	Within 2 weeks (by 21.11.2025)
Securing Institutional Premises (Fencing, boundary walls, gates) to prevent dog ingress.	Heads of institutions/District Magistrates through local/municipal authorities	Within 8 weeks (by 02.01.2026)
Appointment of a Nodal Officer at institutional premises.	Heads of Institutions/Management	Immediate implementation advised
Quarterly Inspection of premises and reporting lapses.	Local Municipal Authorities / Panchayati Raj Institutions	Every 3 months (Quarterly)
Removal, Sterilization, Vaccination, and Shelter Relocation of stray dogs from institutional premises.	Jurisdictional Municipal Body / Animal Husbandry Department	Continuous / ongoing
Maintenance of mandatory stock of Anti-Rabies Vaccine & Immunoglobulin in all Govt. hospitals.	Department of Health & Family Welfare	Continuous / ongoing
Issue detailed SOPs for dog-bite prevention & stray dog management nationwide.	Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)	Within 4 weeks (by 05.12.2025)
Removal & Relocation of all cattle and stray animalsfrom National/State Highways and Expressways.	Municipal Authorities; Road & Transport Dept.; PWD; NHAI	Ongoing (Compliance affidavit status within 8 weeks)
File Compliance Affidavit showing steps taken to secure premises, inspection mechanism, and ARV/IG availability.	Chief Secretaries (States/UTs)	Within 8 weeks (by 02.01.2026)

LETS THINK THROUGH THIS CIRCULAR

⚖️ Impact and Significance

The circular has a significant impact as it operationalizes a strict Supreme Court mandate across Karnataka to enhance public safety by:

Shifting Strategy: It moves beyond the typical Animal Birth Control (ABC) program by strictly prohibiting the release of sterilized/vaccinated dogs back to the original institutional premises, instead mandating their relocation to designated shelters. This is a major departure from the standard ABC rules that often require dogs to be returned to their capture location.
Holding Institutions Accountable: It places direct responsibility on the Heads of Institutions to secure their premises and appoint Nodal Officers, ensuring local governance actively participates in the issue, supervised by the District Magistrate.
Addressing Rabies/Treatment: The continuous stock of ARV and IG in all government hospitals ensures that immediate medical care is available for dog bite victims.
Integrated Approach: It mandates a multi-departmental, time-bound, and ongoing effort involving Urban Development, Health, Education, Sports, Transport, and Rural Development, indicating a comprehensive, state-wide approach.

BUT how can we do this ? Where are the shelters ??

Current Status and Challenges for Designated Shelters in Karnataka

The Supreme Court's order to relocate dogs from institutional areas rather than releasing them back has created a significant logistical and infrastructure challenge for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) (formerly BBMP).

1. Inadequate Existing Infrastructure

Massive Population: Karnataka has an estimated over 4.5 lakh (450,000) stray dogs across its ULB jurisdictions, with Bengaluru alone housing over 2 lakh dogs.
Limited ABC Centers: The state currently operates with very few registered Animal Birth Control (ABC) vendors/partners (reported to be only five statewide). These existing centers are primarily for sterilization and vaccination, not long-term sheltering or permanent relocation of such a massive number of animals.
Capacity Deficit: Officials and animal welfare organizations have immediately flagged capacity deficits, noting that the existing infrastructure and staffing are completely inadequate to house the thousands of dogs that must be picked up and relocated within the 8-week compliance deadline.

2. Planning and Directives by Chief Secretary (GoK)

High-Level Meeting: Following the Supreme Court's order (dated November 7, 2025), Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh held a high-level meeting with all municipal corporations in the state (around November 9, 2025) to discuss the compliance plan.
Immediate Action Plan Mandate: The Chief Secretary has directed the Animal Welfare Board (Karnataka) to prepare an immediate action plan covering all aspects of the issue, which includes the identification and creation of new shelters.
Data Collection: City Corporation Commissioners in Bengaluru (Central, West, and South) have been instructed to collect comprehensive data on the number, location, and health status of street dogs, prioritizing those in sensitive public areas like schools, hospitals, and railway stations. This data is critical for estimating the required shelter capacity and budget.

3. Proposals and Historical Blueprints

BBMP/GBA Blueprint: The latest directive has "rekindled hope" that the erstwhile BBMP’s (now GBA's) model blueprint for stray dog management might finally be implemented. This old plan proposed:
- Setting up veterinary hospitals with adequate facilities in all zones for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) drive.
- A data-driven approach, including microchipping stray dogs.
Land Requirement: Previous estimates by the BBMP indicated that the city alone would need upwards of 100 acres of land to build shelter homes to accommodate the large stray dog population, highlighting the monumental task of acquiring and developing the required land.
Controversy over Shelters: There is a conflict regarding the creation of new permanent shelters. Animal activists and legal experts have previously objected, arguing that building dedicated shelters for stray dogs may violate the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which prioritize sterilization and release back to the original locality (with the Supreme Court's November 7th order creating a narrow exception for institutional premises).

In summary, while the Chief Secretary has mandated an immediate action plan and city corporations are beginning the data collection and capture process, the State of Karnataka currently faces a severe shortage of "designated shelters" with the capacity and infrastructure to permanently house the hundreds of thousands of dogs that would need to be relocated under the Supreme Court's latest strict directive. The focus is currently on planning, land identification, and creating the necessary infrastructure to meet the court's eight-week deadline for compliance affidavits.