Keeping 400 Deers In AN Jha Deer Park Having Capacity For 34 'Grave Cruelty' : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today observed that keeping 400 spotted deer in Delhi's A.N. Jha Deer Park, having a capacity of only 34 deer, was 'grave cruelty' and expressed the need for relocation to forest ranges identified by the expert committee (CEC) The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing the case relating to the relocation of a spotted deer from Delhi's A.N. Jha Deer Park to Rajasthan. In November 2025, the bench had stopped the translocation, noting a 'distressing pattern of negligence' on the Delhi Development Authority's (“DDA”) part while translocating deer.The Court set aside the Delhi High Court's ruling which refused to interfere with the DDA's chronic mismanagement in the functioning of the AN Jha Deer Park, appointing Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to conduct an independent, on-ground assessment covering, actual population at Deer Park, its ecological carrying capacity, survival status of deer already shifted to Rajasthan, and a scientific, welfare-compliant roadmap for any future relocation.Further, the Court asked the DDA to explain, within eight weeks, the reduction in the AN Jha Deer Park area and to stop leasing the park for commercial events from now onwards.Today, during the hearing, the bench was informed that the CEC has submitted its report. Referring to the report, Justice Mehta said that at present the park's capacity to house is only 34 deer, and presently there are 400 deer. " The capacity is probably of 34, and presently there are 400 deer in that park, which is, by itself, grave cruelty. So we will ask the authorities to proceed as per the CEC for relocation." Justice Mehta added that the previous relocation attempts led to minimal survival rates of the deer. The CEC has now recommended forest enclosures in Ranpur Mishdaari and Mukudram (forest ranges). When the counsel for the petitioners objected, Justice Mehta said : " Ultimately, it is between the court and the authorities as to what directions are to be given, we could have upheld the order of the Delhi High Court straightaway, but we were concerned about the Wildlife; that is why we have taken the matter."The counsel for the petitioners stressed that in the CEC, only the government's top officials were included, and there was no adequate representation of the independent expert bodies. She highlighted that the report was making contrary statements. On one hand, it stated that the WII (Wildlife Institute of India) staff was liable for the loss of count of the deer, while on the other hand, it recommended that DDA should fund the WII to "fix up their mess". She also added, "The culture of land banks is developing all over; if you have money, power, you take animals." The bench granted two weeks to the petitioners to submit their written submissions and additional time for the DDA to file their response. The bench proceeded to reserve its order on further steps. Case Details : NEW DELHI NATURE SOCIETY THROUGH VERHAEN KHANNA VERSUS DIRECTOR HOTRICULTURE DDA & ORS.| SLP(C) No. 013374 - 013375 / 2025

Keeping 400 Deers In AN Jha Deer Park Having Capacity For 34 'Grave Cruelty' : Supreme Court

Anmol Kaur Bawa

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