No Coercive Action Against Protesters Opposing SC's Stray Dog Order: Delhi Police To High Court

The Delhi Police has informed the Delhi High Court that no coercive action will be taken against the individuals who protested and expressed dissent against the Supreme Court order directing the civic authorities to clear localities of stray dogs. The police told Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma that no coercive action is being contemplated against nine individuals against whom FIR was registered on August 16, subject to their joining investigation.Taking the statement on record, the Court issued notice on the plea filed by the individuals seeking quashing of the FIR registered for the offences under Section 223(a), 221, 132, 121(1) and 3 (5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Court directed the Delhi Police to file status report and listed the case for hearing on February 02, 2026. In their plea, the individuals in question state that the protest was bona fide and lawful, undertaken in exercise of their fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India. Claiming to be dog lovers, the petitioners said that they enjoy an unblemished record and have no criminal antecedents.As per the petition, the FIR is nothing but a “circuitous device” engineered to criminalise lawful and peaceful protest and to abuse the process of law, with the sole object of arm-twisting and subjecting the petitioners to harassment. The petition submitted that their demonstration was symbolic, issue-based and non-violent, with no damage to public or private property or harm to any individual reported.“The judgment dated 11.08.2025 was subsequently modified by a Three-Judge Bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 22.08.2025 in the very same suo motu proceedings, recognising the constitutional and statutory protections for animals and the rights of citizens engaged in animal welfare. Thus, the Petitioners' assembly was not only justified but squarely protected by law. Any attempt to criminalise such dissent amounts to an assault on the fundamental rights guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution,” the plea states.It adds that there is not an iota of material to show that any promulgation or public notice was ever issued, published or circulated in advance to inform the Petitioners or the public that even a peaceful and symbolic protest was prohibited. The plea said that no public announcement or any warning or intimation was given by the authorities prior to the registration of the FIR.“In the absence of any such promulgation, the invocation of penal provisions for alleged violation of prohibitory orders is ex facie illegal, unsustainable, and amounts to a colourable exercise of power,” the petitioners say.Counsel for Petitioners: Mr. Tanmaya Mehta, Mr. Karan Nagrath, Ms. Rashmi Gogoi, Ms. Niharika Nagrath, Mr. Ambuj Tiwari, Mr. Kishan Yadav and Mr. Aryan Bhardwaj, AdvocatesCounsel for Respondents: Mr. Naresh Kumar Chahar, APP for the State with Ms. Apurva Vats, AdvocateTitle: MADHU NAGRATH & ORS v. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI & ANRClick here to read order

No Coercive Action Against Protesters Opposing SC's Stray Dog Order: Delhi Police To High Court

Nupur Thapliyal

Tags